The Potential for Experienced Occupational Health Professionals in Encouraging Recruitment to the Field in England: Perspectives of Medical and Nursing Undergraduates and Practitioners Working Outside of Occupational Health

Background: The United Kingdom (UK) population is experiencing high levels of economic inactivity due to long-term sickness absence. Concurrently, the occupational health (OH) workforce, which plays an important role in assisting people back to work and maintaining their health and well-being at work, is declining in numbers and struggling to recruit. The study aim was to explore the role that experienced OH professionals (OHPs) can play in encouraging recruitment to the field—from the perspective of non-OH doctors and nurses (pre- and postqualification) as groups who could potentially join the field.

Methods: In 2023, we undertook a study where we explored the awareness and attractiveness of the OH field based on the perspectives of 58 medical and nursing students, practitioners, and career leavers working within and outside OH. The role of experienced professionals was identified as an important element in OH recruitment. We therefore reinterrogated data (i.e., reanalysed codes) collected in 25 interviews and 3 focus groups (total = 43 participants) with non-OH medical and nursing students and practitioners about the factors that influenced participants’ career choices, factors that influenced levels of awareness and attractiveness of OH, and strategies and channels to increase both and to promote OH career. Data were analysed thematically using NVivo 14 to manage the process.

Findings: Two themes about the role of experienced OHPs in recruitment were identified: developing opportunities to build interactions with OHPs, sharing knowledge about OH occupational features and providing insights about career choices in mentoring relationships.

Conclusions: The potential for experienced OHPs as specialism advocates and ambassadors could be leveraged more purposefully and systematically. Employers, professional and educational bodies, and policy makers could encourage and incentivise experienced OHPs to host more placements and to provide other opportunities for quality interactions between OHPs and potential recruits.