ORCID

Abstract

Background: Social prescribing (SP) link workers (LWs) listen to patients’ concerns and difficulties, and connect them to relevant community assets (groups, organisations, or charities) that can help with their non-medical issues (for example, loneliness, debt, housing). LW retention is key to sustaining SP within primary care. Aim: To examine occupational self-efficacy, job discrepancy, and other factors as potential predictors of LWs’ intentions to leave or remain in their posts. Design & setting: Cross-sectional survey involving LWs from the United Kingdom. Method: An online questionnaire was distributed via SP-related organisations. Questions were on the following: (a) intention to leave the role; (b) demographics; and (c) role experience, including occupational self-efficacy and discrepancy between expectations and reality of the job. Questions were mainly closed, although some allowed LWs to provide a written response. Logistic regression models were fitted to identify predictors, and content analysis used to categorise open-ended responses. Results: In total, 342 questionnaire responses were included in the analysis. Higher job discrepancy was associated with past (odds ratio [OR] per 30 unit increase = 6.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.91 to 12.0; P<0.001) and future (OR = 4.86; 95% CI = 2.70 to 8.72; P<0.001) intentions to leave, while lower occupational self-efficacy was associated only with past intentions to leave (OR per 10 unit decrease = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.24 to 2.93; P = 0.003). Conclusion: Findings highlight factors influencing LW retention, offering a foundation for targeted interventions, which could include clearer communication about the role during recruitment, and adjusting job descriptions and support when required.

Publication Date

2025-01-29

Publication Title

BJGP Open

Volume

9

Issue

3

ISSN

1849-5435

Acceptance Date

2024-11-27

Deposit Date

2025-01-30

Funding

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research (SPCR) (Award 678). Kerryn Husk and Obioha Ukoumunne were supported by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula. Views and opinions expressed are those of the authors or participants in the study; they are not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, the Department of Health and Social Care, or the authors’ institutions. Many thanks to the link workers who completed the questionnaire, and to the organisations that distributed it on our behalf.

Keywords

cross-sectional studies, job retention, link workers, primary health care, social prescribing

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