Strategic Workforce Transformation: A Story of Data-Driven Impact
Summary
The RDUH Workforce Team developed a strategic workforce planning framework and an in-house optioneering tool to improve how workforce demand is forecast and addressed. This collaborative, data-driven approach combines quantitative analysis with stakeholder insights to model future scenarios, identify gaps early, and test solutions before implementation. Integrated into annual planning, the framework supports long-term investment in apprenticeships, role development, and sustainable recruitment strategies. The initiative is strengthening workforce resilience, improving collaboration, and ensuring planning decisions are aligned with future service and patient care needs.
The Challenge
The Trust faced ongoing workforce shortages, high turnover, and a reliance on international and agency staff. Rural and coastal locations presented further challenges for retaining internationally educated staff due to housing costs, transport issues, and limited community support networks. These factors made long-term retention difficult and threatened workforce stability. Data analysis also highlighted critical gaps across professions, with no consistent process to forecast demand and supply or align workforce planning with service and financial priorities.
The Solution
The Strategic Workforce Lead and Workforce Team established a robust planning framework with:
- A recognised process, clear data outputs, and training for managers and HR partners
- An in-house optioneering tool to model demand and supply scenarios before decisions were made
- A central online hub providing tools, data, and guidance
- Engagement with clinical leaders, People Business Partners, and educational teams to align workforce needs with service and financial goals
Additional measures included a Clinical Support Worker development pathway, targeted recruitment, population-based demand forecasting, and tailored onboarding for internationally recruited staff. Strategic dashboards were introduced to provide department-level insights and foster data-informed decision-making.
Results & Next Steps
Over the past 18 months, the initiative has delivered measurable improvements:
- Reduction in international recruitment from 191 in 2023/24 to 40 forecasted in 2024/25 but actual recruitment was 8.
- Development of local talent pipelines through apprenticeships and career pathways
- Creation of a validated workforce supply forecast and long-term demand analysis (2025–2029)
- Results included stronger multi-professional collaboration, reduced reliance on temporary staffing and international recruitment, improved retention, and enhanced staff experience
- Launch of Clinical Support Worker pathway, Return to Practice support, and tailored manager training
Workforce planning is now embedded into governance and decision-making across the Trust. Next steps include continued collaboration with local and regional planning forums and scaling the framework for wider system adoption, ensuring a sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready workforce.
