Information sheet for observations

Participant Information Sheet

1. Research Project Title:

Retention of Mental Health Staff (RoMHS) – case studies

2. Invitation to take part in a research study

You are being invited to take part in a research project. Before you decide whether or not to participate, it is important that you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether or not you wish to take part. Thank you for reading this.

3. What is the project’s purpose?

Retaining mental health staff in the NHS is a problem across the UK, but there is also large variation in retention rates between Trusts. This suggests that whilst there are some national factors that contribute to the problem, there are local issues such as Trust policy and other organisational and population issues affecting retention rates. Understanding these issues could help identify where it is possible to implement changes to improve retention, and form the basis of recommendations to managers, professions and policy makers. This research project aims to identify key issues for frontline clinical staff and senior managers in relation to staff retention, and to identify good practice and areas for improvement. The research will take place across at least six English mental health Trusts that have been chosen on the basis of variations in their retention rates, staff satisfaction rates and other local factors (e.g. type of geographical area).

4. Why have I been chosen?

You have been asked to participate, as you are involved in meetings or activities within your NHS Trust directly linked to retention of staff.

We will be taking consent for each meeting or activity, and you may wish to participate on some occasions but not others. As such we will be taking consent each time we observe you.

5. Do I have to take part?

You are free to choose whether or not to participate in the research. If you do decide to take part, you will be asked to sign a consent form each time we observe you. If you change your mind, you can withdraw during the observed meeting/activity. You do not have to give a reason for your decision. If you wish to withdraw from the research, please inform the researcher as soon as possible.

6. What will happen to me if I take part? What do I have to do?

The researcher will be present at the meeting or activity but will not participate. Instead, they will observe and take notes. You will not be identifiable in the notes or in the write up of the research. If you consent to take part, the researcher may make notes on the things you say. If you do not consent, the meeting/activity will still be observed but your comments will not be noted.

7. What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part?

We do not anticipate any major risks to taking part. If you feel that taking part in the research and thinking about the issues it is exploring has caused you any distress, please contact your Trust’s welfare officer or other support services.

8. What are the possible benefits of taking part?

Whilst there are no immediate personal benefits for those people participating in the project, it is hoped that this work will enable Trusts to implement a range of positive steps to improve job satisfaction and retention.

9. Will my taking part in this project be kept confidential?

All the information we collect about you during the research will be kept strictly confidential and will only be accessible to members of the research team. You will not be identifiable in any reports or publications. If you agree to us sharing the information you provide with other researchers (e.g. by making it available in a data archive) then your personal details will not be included.

All participants and the Trusts involved in the study will be given pseudonyms. We will not tell your Trust that you have participated in the research, although if you wish to take time out of your working day to participate, you may have to tell your line manager.

In the unlikely event that issues regarding patient safety or safeguarding arise in the interviews, we have a legal responsibility to pass this information on to the appropriate authorities.

10. What will happen to the data collected, and the results of the research project?

The notes from the meeting/activity will be typed up as soon as possible and stored on the University’s secure server. Only the research team associated with this project will have access to the files.

We aim to send a full report to the Trust but will also send a summary of the research to each participant. We also aim to publish several academic articles, links to which will also be sent to the Trust for them to circulate.

Your anonymised data will be stored for 5 years after the end of the project. All data will be stored securely according to University policies.

Due to the nature of this research, it is very likely that other researchers may find the data collected to be useful in answering future research questions. We will ask for your explicit consent for your data to be shared in this way.

11. Who is organising and funding the research?

This research is organised by the University of Sheffield and funded by The Health Foundation.

12. Who is the Data Controller?

The University of Sheffield will act as the Data Controller for this study. This means that the University is responsible for looking after your information and using it properly.

13. Who has ethically reviewed the project?

This project has been ethically approved via the University of Sheffield’s Ethics Review Procedure, as administered by the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), and received NHS governance approvals from the Health Research Authority

14. What if something goes wrong and I wish to complain about the research?

If you have a complaint, you can contact the principal investigator, Dr Emily Wood via e.f.wood@sheffield.ac.uk. If you do not feel the complaint has been handled to your satisfaction, you can contact the head of department Dean Prof John Brazier on j.e.brazier@sheffield.ac.uk

If the complaint relates to how your personal data has been handled, you can contact The University of Sheffield Data Protection Officer, Luke Thompson – dataprotection@sheffield.ac.uk Further information about how to raise a complaint can be found in the University’s Privacy Notice: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/govern/data-protection/privacy/general. If you feel the complaint has not been handled to your satisfaction, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.

15. Contact for further information

If you have further questions or want more information on the project, please contact the principal investigator, Dr Emily Wood via e.f.wood@sheffield.ac.uk

If Dr Wood is unavailable, please contact the research project administrator Sue Ridgway on s.ridgway@sheffield.ac.uk

Finally …

This information sheet will remain accessible if you wish to return to it and you will be able to download a copy of your consent form.

Thank you for participating in the project

If you wish to ask any questions or join the project please email romhs@sheffield.a.uk