Background
Career longevity in the medical workforce is a serious problem. Between 2022-23 up to 23,000 doctors left the workforce prematurely in England, with a replacement cost estimated to be in the billions. For the NHS to continue delivering care in the future, addressing the challenges of staff retention is vital. Globally, the WHO estimates a shortfall of 11 million health workers by 2030, but with the lead time to replace a senior doctor measured in decades, retaining this highly valuable cohort is a priority.

Method
In 2022, collaboration was sought from NHS England to pilot the ‘Career Pitstop for Senior Clinicians’ – a one day workshop for senior doctors. The course empowers delegates to creatively plan the next stage of their careers, combining group work, career development tools, and peer-coaching using simple coaching frameworks. 

Feedback is sought at the end of each course, and then after three months have elapsed. 

Results
This one-day programme, has now been delivered to nearly three hundred doctors in England. 

Feedback Themes
• should be adopted earlier and at regular intervals through a medical career. 
• appreciation of opportunity to share their challenges with others; not unique in struggling with these issues.
• creative thinking environment for the next stage of their career.

Themes from three-month feedback
• Many respondents described making significant changes, including broadening their portfolio with more research and education, and finding more joy and balance in their work.