Staff Recruitment Research Articles

Unlocking Organizational Success: A Systematic Literature Review of Superintendent Selection Strategies, Core Competencies, and Emerging Technologies in the Construction Industry

An organization’s success depends on its ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. Superintendents play a critical role in overseeing project sites in the construction industry and can adapt to the increasingly complicated requirements of modern construction projects. This study examines traditional and modern personnel selection methods to determine effective tactics, essential competencies, and emerging trends regarding supervisory personnel. The research methodology follows the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework. First, this study examines traditional and modern selection methods used by organizations and engineering firms to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic and assist in selecting appropriate staff recruitment procedures. Second, the Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were reviewed to identify superintendent selection approaches and competencies, over the period January 2000 to September 2024. A total of 22 relevant papers were analyzed. Superintendent selection processes included questionnaires (57%), interviews (26%), literature reviews (14%), and data-driven AI tools (3%). Forty competency criteria were identified, with the top five being knowledge, communication skills, leadership, health and safety expertise, and commitment. As a result, novel approaches employing Industry 4.0 technologies, including virtual reality (VR), wearable sensing devices (WSDs), natural language processing (NLP), blockchain, and computer vision, are recommended. These findings support a better understanding of how best to identify the most qualified supervisory personnel and provides enhanced methods for evaluating job applicants.

The efficacy of Merit-based Recruitment in Amolatar district in Northern Uganda

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the success of merit-based recruitment in Amolatar District Local Government Administration, Uganda. Methodology: A case-study research design was adopted backed by quantitative and qualitative analysis that involved a careful and in-depth investigation of a particular unit or events under study for the purposes of generalization. It was conducted in Amolatar District. We chose this area because merit-based recruitment had failed as a result of weak decision-making processes by the district service communion and the influence-peddling by political leaders in the district. We took a sample of 60 respondents and interviewed 52 respondents living within the District Headquarters and in Amolatar Town Council. Findings: The results revealed that the success of merit-based recruitment in Local Government Administration is very essential in terms of stakeholder responsibility, enhancing citizen confidence in the local government institution, and enabling the district service commission to recruit the best human resources for the provision of quality service. Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: This study is central as it strengthens the merit-based recruitment model over and above other models of recruitment as well as enabling local governments to prioritize meritocracy over political patronage in every staff recruitment cycle.

The Support, Education and Learning Needs of Experienced Nurses Who Are Transitioning to Work in Intensive Care: A Scoping Review.

To ascertain the current evidence about the support, education and learning needs of experienced registered nurses who are transitioning their work to intensive care nursing as a new context. A scoping review was conducted using established frameworks from JBI, Arksey and O'Malley. A search was conducted in CINHAL and MEDLINE (April 2023). Two researchers independently screened the records, extracted and cross-checked the data. The results were consolidated narratively in answer to the review questions. The PRISMA-ScR checklist was used to guide reporting. Eight articles (seven research, one evaluation) were included. The data were widely heterogenous. Evidence pays more attention to education experiences and needs during transition than to mechanisms used informally to engender socialisation of experienced registered nurses into the intensive care team. Key education strategies include orientation, skill and knowledge development, self-directed learning, preceptorship and mentorship, situated clinical nurse education and expertise sharing from the wider intensive care team. Four papers related to the COVID-19 pandemic reported education related to patient surges; three papers described team or buddy nursing as an educational strategy. Several articles reported that learning needs and experiences evolve as transition occurs, and intensive care is a specialised learning environment where required skills and knowledge are domain specific. Reality shock can be encountered, education needs can be influenced by prior experience and social connection with and support from the team can make a difference. This review has identified the current state of evidence regarding the support education and learning needs of experienced registered nurses who are transitioning to work in intensive care. The evidence is limited and very heterogeneous. Findings highlight several areas of evidence paucity and some basis for further research. Given the importance of this group to the intensive care workforce, it will be imperative to invest in future research. Attending to the specific learning and support needs of experienced registered nurses who are making transitions to work in intensive care may impact their experiences of transition shock and quality of learning and may make some differences to recruitment and retention of staff. By consolidating the evidence, this scoping review highlights important support, education and learning needs of experienced nurses who are transitioning to intensive care. Insight arising from the review will assist experienced nurses, and those working in education and management, as they seek to engage with and support registered nurses who are making transitions to this context of work. There are genuine gaps in research evidence which will require the investment of nursing researchers internationally. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyse extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). No patient or public contribution.

Interpreting Context in Rural and Remote Aged Care Facilities in Readiness for a New Care Model: A Mixed Method Study.

Geographical isolation compounds limited access to healthcare services and skilled workforce for the provision of rural aged care. Residents have complex chronic disease management and end-of-life care needs. An undersupply of general medical practitioners due to retirement, attrition or unfilled training places in Australia has impacted recruitment to rural areas. Nurse practitioners have been identified as a potential solution. To describe and explore the inner (local and organisational) and outer (wider health system) contexts of healthcare, from the perspective of care staff and residents' families. This, in turn, aims to inform the planned implementation of a nurse practitioner model, in several aged care facilities, operating within rural and remote settings, in Queensland Australia. A convergent mixed methods design. Qualitative data were collected, in 2022-2023, using semistructured interviews with staff focusing on role, knowledge development, workplace culture and care relationships with local community. Resident's family's perspectives were obtained as a secondary analysis of organisational feedback data. Quantitative data were collected from direct care workers using the Alberta Context Tool for Long-Term Care. Data were analysed according to type and integrated. Relational care for residents and families is highly valued but provision of quality is challenging where time-poor staff are perceived to be doing the best they can. Scarce local healthcare services make it difficult to meet resident healthcare needs. Despite the supportive organisational culture, evolving policy requirements have impacted already difficult staff recruitment in rural settings. Identifying contextual needs of organisations in readiness for change highlights geographical and sectoral nuances influencing any future implementation. As government policy changes to improve the older adult care sector, rural and remote facilities are forced to increasingly adapt. Context-specific needs extend far beyond a nurse practitioner providing additional expertise in care provision. What problem did the study address? Nurse practitioners have been successfully implemented into residential aged care facilities in metropolitan and major regional centres but translating this role into rural and remote Australia requires being cognisant of the needs, unique challenges and context of this setting. What were the main findings? In an organisational culture of support, the importance of staff providing relational care and having connection with older adult residents and families was a central driver. It was challenging for staff to meet complex care requirements in the absence of local healthcare options and support. Time pressures, from inadequate staffing and changing structural aged care sector, force the prioritising of care requirements. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? Older adults, policy makers and aged care providers will benefit from understanding the context of rural and remote settings, particularly in identifying potential solutions when there are gaps in primary and secondary healthcare. The GRAMMS checklist was followed in reporting of this study. Two lived experience consumers were involved as research team members. One was involved during the development and submission of the funding application and another during project activities including data collection and analysis and the development of publications.

Time to care: How a homecare model harnesses nurses' professional ethic and cultivates caring.

A persistent devaluation of care-work, difficult working conditions, and low salaries have led to challenges with staff recruitment and retention in the homecare sector in France. A new homecare organization adopting an innovative organizational model recently experimented an hourly payment method yielding positive outcomes. Using Tronto's caring framework, this paper analyzes the strategies used by the founders as they developed their innovative model and the nursing activities performed during home visits. A longitudinal qualitative study was conducted between 2017 and 2023. Homecare nursing teams were shadowed for 1-2 days per year yielding detailed field notes on caregiving activities, both before and after the new payment method. Secondary data included reports, videos, articles, and unpublished documents found online. While there is no requirement in France to obtain ethical approval in non-interventional research, verbal consent was obtained by all participants prior to their involvement in the study; confidentiality and anonymity were strictly maintained; and pseudonyms were assigned to protect identities. 63 interviews and 185h of shadowing and observations were conducted. Results revealed a virtuous cycle of caring facilitated and encouraged by new incentives that resonated with nurses' professional ethics. The favorable working environment and the hourly payment method enabled nurses to provide caregiving in accordance with their values. As the new hourly payment experiment is scaled-up nationally, it is imperative that it is not isolated from the organizational model. Without the underpinning values and principles, the hourly payment method alone is unlikely to shift the value attributed to caring.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND TEACHER ENGAGEMENT NEXUS: A STUDY OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS

This study comprehensively examines the human resource management practices implemented by administrators in private schools within the Ayawaso West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. It specifically highlights the critical aspects of academic staff recruitment, appraisal, and training. Utilizing the Resource-Based View (RBV), Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, and Human Capital Theory, a robust quantitative approach was adopted, gathering data through structured questionnaires completed by 100 respondents, including both school administrators and teachers. The analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and percentages, to effectively assess respondents' perceptions of various human resource practices. The findings compellingly demonstrate that effective human resource strategies involve the provision of comprehensive orientation and induction programs, targeted on-the-job training, and systematic training needs assessments. Moreover, recruitment and selection processes are enhanced by offering study leaves for further education, promoting initiative among teachers, and establishing a clearly defined reward management philosophy. Additionally, the study reveals that appraisal and training are strengthened through performance feedback, guidance and counseling services, and support with academic matters. Based on these findings, it is recommended, among others, that school administrators elevate their human resource strategies by incorporating continuous professional development opportunities and cultivating supportive work environments, both of which are essential for enhancing staff performance and retention.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0502/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Internationalization of teaching and research in Higher Education

Internationalization as a result of globalization is a focus in higher education institutions to develop and implement strategies at institutional level to stay competitive in the global market. While internationalization is usually measured with student mobility whether it is in terms of international and exchange, there has been a shift and a push to internationalize in other areas of higher education such as staff and faculty recruitment and retention, cross-culture collaborations and partnerships in research, teaching and learning, and curriculum. Internationalization of teaching and research is now even more needed because the number of international students, exchange, and scholars have been increasing around the world, bringing equity between Global North and South, and to equip current students and future generations to intercultural understanding and awareness through education medium. There are recommendations given towards the end of this paper to implement strategies to internationalize teaching and research practices for faculty, scholars, and practitioners within higher education.

Examining the Effects of Health Work Shortages and Deployment in Integrated Programme in Bihar, India: AnInstitutional Ethnography.

The integration of health programms in low-resource settings is a common approach aimed at providing quality and cost-effective healthcare services. However, programme integration can unintentionally impact service provision and disrupt the overall organisation of service delivery. In this paper, I examine the integrated programme for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and explore the challenges related to the deployment of health workers. Specifically, I investigate the institutional processes that shape the work of health workers and the working conditions in district hospitals. To explore the social organisation of the implementation of the integrated NCD programme, I employed institutional ethnography as a research method. Data collection involved interviews, participant observation, and document reviews. Data analysis was conducted using social mapping, analytical writing, and textual analysis methods. The findings of the study suggest that due to staff shortages and a lack of doctors, health workers are continuously subjected to deployment and often required to undertake multiple tasks and responsibilities without any incentives or non-monetary benefits. Administrators perceive health workers in integrated programs as additional human resources available for use in district hospitals. However, the removal of health workers from integrated programs can have negative implications for service delivery and patients' health outcomes. Finding of the study suggests that it is recommended that administrators improve the staff recruitment process and promptly address the grievances of health workers to enhance healthcare delivery.

“There’s no us vs. them, it’s just us”: a creative approach to centring lived experience within the AVATAR2 trial

This article describes a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) led creative workshop space held within a clinical trial of a talking therapy for distressing voices (AVATAR2). PPI adds significant value to clinical research and ensures the work is meaningful to patients and their supporters. However, known issues include tokenism, a common power imbalance between PPI colleagues and researchers and a lack of opportunity for PPI to shape the research. PPI has played a key role at all stages of the AVATAR2 trial, including design, recruitment of staff and participants, data collection, analysis, and dissemination. An active and creative group of people was established, with over 30 members flexibly involved across all four sites. PPI group members were from diverse backgrounds, with lived experience of mental health conditions and recovery, and including carers. During this work, PPI colleagues identified that they would value a creative space which would help to promote the study but extend beyond an exclusive focus on trial deliverables. A regular creative workshop was established to support PPI colleagues in their creative work, including material such as poetry, blogs, art and podcasts. PPI colleagues and trial staff have cowritten a reflective piece to share their experiences on the impact of the creative workshops, organised into four themes. We found the workshops to be a powerful tool for forging relationships among trial staff and PPI colleagues, while also fostering personal development. We reflected on how the workshops built up the confidence of attendees and supported demanding trial activities such as public speaking. Finally, we discussed the impact of the workshops on wider trial culture, by upholding the values of the team and challenging the status quo.

Improving the non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS) pathway using quality improvement methodology

BackgroundThe National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline quality standard for non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS) pathway states that adults who have an intermediate or higher risk...

Influence of Teaching and Learning Resources Provided by BOM on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools of Kisii Central Sub County, Kenya

Despite interventions by policymakers and implementers in instituting BOM so as to ensure the delivery of quality education in Kenya, performance in some schools has remained poor. According to the Sub County director of education, Kisii has witnessed very poor performance in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination over the years. To address the situation, the Kisii Central County Education office conducted workshops to capacity-build the BOM members from the entire County in relation to their roles in schools. It was for this reason that the study was to establish the influence of board of management practices on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools of Kisii Sub County. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population consisted of 53 public secondary schools in Kisii Central Sub County with 53 principals, 391 teachers, 689 members of the Board of Management, and 14,776 students. The sample size comprised 44 secondary school principals, 44 assistant teachers, 42 students and 248 members of the Board of Management. This constituted a total sample size of 378 respondents. Data was collected through self-administered questionnaires as well as through interview schedules for the BOM members. A pre-test of the instruments was conducted in three schools using 38 respondents constituting 10% of the study sample. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency counts, the mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (correlation) by employing SPSS version 21.0 and excel computer packages. Qualitative data was organized into themes, and categories as they emerged from the field and presented in narrative form. The analysis of results revealed that teaching and learning resources, staff recruitment and incentives positively and significantly influence the academic performance of students in secondary school. The study recommended that in order to improve the academic performance of students in secondary schools, the BOM should ensure that they provide enough teaching and learning materials to schools to guarantee the performance of students in their academics, recruit competent teachers to improve the teacher-student ratio which is a necessary measure in improving the performance of students in academics, establish the most appropriate method of appreciating teachers and students so as to motivate them to work positively toward improving the academic performance of students

The Instructional Leadership Role of Superintendents in Instructionally Effective School Districts

Throughout the past four decades (1983-2024), the rise of a global economy and the changing nature of American society underscored the importance of educating all children. Successive waves of education reform in the United States of America (USA) launched a wide array of initiatives focused on improving student learning. These state and federal policy initiatives were accompanied by an historic shift in role expectations of school district superintendents. An examination of trend data reported in three successive nation-wide reports released by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) for the years 2000, 2010 and 2020 (Glass, Björk & Brunner, 2000; Kowalski, et al., 2011; Tienken, 2021) suggest that role expectations for district superintendents moved from away from an emphasis on management to a focus on instructional leadership. In addition, findings on superintendent instructional leadership practices in Instructionally Effective School Districts (IESD) reported by Bjork (1993, 2010, 2024) and Bjork & Browne-Ferrigno (2014) note that they effectively used their managerial position to support district-wide instructional improvement. They found that superintendents serving in IESD school districts used enacted their management responsibilities in areas that would indirectly influence the quality of learning and teaching including: (1) Staff selection and recruitment; (2) Principal supervision and evaluation; (3) Establishing clear instructional and curricular goals; (4) Monitoring learning and curricular improvement activities and, (5) Financial planning for instruction. These findings suggest that IESD superintendents’ use their management prerogatives to enact their instructional leadership role and reframe school district leadership for deeper learning in next generation schools.

Caseload per Year in Robotic-Assisted Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy: A Narrative Review.

Esophageal surgery is deemed one of the most complex visceral operations. There is a well-documented correlation between higher caseload and better outcomes, with hospitals that perform more surgeries experiencing significantly lower mortality rates. The approach to caseload per year varies across different countries within Europe. Germany increased the minimum annual required caseload of complex esophageal surgeries from 10 to 26 starting in 2023. Furthermore, the new regulations present challenges for surgical training and staff recruitment, risking the further fragmentation of training programs. Enhanced regional cooperation is proposed as a solution to ensure comprehensive training. This review explores the benefits of robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) in improving surgical precision and patient outcomes and aims to evaluate how the caseload per year influences the quality of patient care and the efficacy of surgical training, especially with the integration of advanced robotic techniques.

Navigating New Terrain: Exploring Orientation Programs For New Academic Staff and Their Experience

Commencing a new job can instigate anxiety, especially for those without prior work experience. The excitement of a fresh employment endeavour may coincide with feelings of discomfort, stemming from unfamiliar expectations. A comprehensive overview and understanding on orientation programs for new staff can play a crucial role in facilitating their adaptation, fostering departmental understanding, fostering colleague connections, and grasping job essentials. This research seeks to assess orientation activities carried out for new academic staff joining the faculty by the management while investigating the orientation program experience of recently onboarded staff members with less than six years of experience in one of the language academies in a public university in the Klang Valley. An interview and survey were conducted and revealed notable areas of concern including employee benefits, performance expectations, departmental and faculty structures, policies and procedures and training development. The findings delineated key areas of concern as a foundational framework to be concentrated by the management during future faculty staff recruitment. This study also highlights the need to develop a tailored orientation kit for new onboarding staff to the faculty.

Selection of Marketing Staff Using Simple Additive Weight and VIKOR Algorithm

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, decision-making processes within organizations are increasingly relying on advanced computational methods to enhance efficiency and accuracy. This is particularly relevant in human resource management, where selecting suitable candidates for key positions is critical. Traditional methods of staff recruitment often rely on subjective assessments, which may lead to biases and inconsistencies. To address these challenges, this study proposes the use of the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) and VIKOR (Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje) algorithms as multi-criteria decision-making tools for selecting marketing staff. The SAW method offers a straightforward approach by assigning weighted scores to various criteria. In contrast, the VIKOR method provides a ranking system that considers ideal and compromise solutions for candidate selection. Integrating these two algorithms makes the selection process more objective and data-driven, reducing the risk of human error and improving overall decision quality. This paper outlines implementing the combined SAW-VIKOR model in the marketing staff recruitment process, highlighting its potential to optimize candidate evaluation and selection. The results demonstrate that utilizing these algorithms enhances the decision-making process, leading to better alignment of selected staff with organizational goals. This approach is valuable for organizations looking to leverage technology in their recruitment strategies.

ANALYSIS OF ISSUES AND BARRIERS TO DOING BUSINESS IN THE REGIONS OF KAZAKHSTAN

The article aims to assess the regulatory burden small and medium-sized businesses face in the republic’s regions from the company’s opening to its closure. The primary method is an analysis of the results of the sociological survey conducted within the framework of a research project sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The authors conducted the sociological survey through questionnaires combined with in-depth interviews, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the issues. As a result, the authors found that an overwhelming number (85 %) of business leaders consider Kazakhstan attractive for business and investment. The authors assessed four key indicators to understand the high barriers to doing business. Companies’ surveys showed that business registration is quite accessible. However, expert interviews confirmed that they experienced the most significant difficulties with staff recruitment. The authors analyzed the access to infrastructure (electricity, water, land, and logistics) separately, which entrepreneurs assessed at an average level. Also, the authors identified the problem of accessing bank capital for business and the need to reduce the tax burden for new companies and startups. In addition, the authors tried to evaluate the financial aspects of doing business in Kazakhstan and the impact of digitalization on business development. Thus, research attempted to identify the main problems and barriers to evaluating the ease of doing business in Kazakhstan’s regions. We concluded that the business environment in the country is «far from perfect», and the authorities have a lot of work to do to improve it. Keywords: Kazakhstan’s regions, EDB, Investment, Business environment, Business leaders, Survey, Barriers to business.

Undergraduate nursing student's perception toward the nursing profession in Iraqi-Kurdistan. An exploratory study

Nursing students' perception towards the nursing profession is vital and has a positive impact on the successful recruitment, retention, and attrition of staff from the health care agencies. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of undergraduate nursing students toward the nursing profession in Iraq, particularly in the Kurdistan region. The study was conducted at the University of Duhok, a college of nursing in the Kurdistan Region. The researcher of the current study used Nursing Image as a Profession Questionnaire (NIPQ) for the purpose of data collection. Based on the analysis of the participant's responses, the results revealed that in general students have positive perceptions towards the nursing profession. The early twentieth age group students were more satisfied in nursing than the late twentieth age group. High school grades were regarded as the main reason for joining the faculty of nursing. Having a nurse friend or relative and a positive family reaction was perceived as positive influential factors for student enrollment in the nursing program. Few students had a very negative attitude and they attacked the nursing profession when talking with others. The current study concluded that students have positive perceptions towards the nursing profession in the four aspects of the description of the profession, social view perspectives, benefits of the nursing profession, and students' satisfaction in nursing.

Sistem Rekrutmen Tenaga Pendidik dalam Upaya Meningkatkan Mutu Pendidikan di SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Bandar Lampung

The Human Resources (HR) management system used must be in accordance with the needs of the organization, so that the recruitment process is not just filling employee vacancies or just getting ordinary HR, but highly dedicated and professional HR in their fields. The purpose of writing is to examine and analyze further how the teaching staff recruitment system in improving the quality of education carried out at SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Bandar Lampung. The method of writing this scientific article uses a qualitative method. Data is obtained through observation, where the researcher functions as an instrument to make observations, in-depth interviews with primary data sources and study documentation. The results of the educator recruitment process at SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Bandar Lampung are: Recruitment implementation, The series of new educator recruitment activities at SMA Muhammadiyah 2 Bandar Lampung develops according to the needs of the school and always learns from the experience of recruiting previous educators. The school forms a team to recruit the required educators, then distributes e-flyers or announcements to attract applicants or educators through social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, WhatsApp, and websites with Muslim or Muslimah qualifications, love the world of education, able to work with the team, minimum education S1 according to major

Optimising remote health workforce retention: protocol for a program of research

BackgroundNowhere is optimising healthcare staff retention more important than in primary health care (PHC) settings in remote Australia, where there are unacceptably high rates of staff burnout and turnover. Ensuing consequences for the remote health services and the community are acute – staffing shortfalls in clinics; organisational instability; excessive costs associated with frequent staff recruitment and orientation; diminished access to PHC for patients in need; and lack of continuity of patient care; all of which further entrench poor health outcomes for the community. Optimising remote healthcare staff retention is critical in order to provide high quality and continued PHC. Currently, however, there is paucity of knowledge to inform targeted and effective retention strategies in remote health services.This research program seeks to develop a stronger evidence base to understand (i) what retention strategies are effective in improving morale, job satisfaction, intention to remain in the job, and consequent length of service for remote healthcare staff; (ii) how best to ‘bundle’ these strategies for different health workforce groups; and (iii) how these ‘bundles’ work in different service contexts.MethodsThis paper describes a five-year implementation research program in partnership with twelve remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services (ATSICCHS) in the Northern Territory and Queensland, Australia. Overall methodology follows a participatory action research approach which incorporates co-design and realist elements. The program comprises two broad phases involving evidence consolidation and synthesis (Phase 1), and co-design, implementation, and prospective evaluation of ‘bundles’ of retention strategies (Phase 2) to improve retention of healthcare staff in participating ATSICCHSs.DiscussionThis innovative research program has the potential to develop a comprehensive evidence base required to optimise health workforce retention in remote health services. This new evidence will strengthen understanding of what ‘bundles’ of retention strategies are effective, for which groups of employees, and how they work to improve staff retention.

Disabled people negotiate gender, sexual identity and self-directed social care support in England: how does choice and control operate?

Putting disabled people in charge of their own support was a central component of the UK personalisation agenda. Austerity, staff recruitment difficulties and local authority retrenchment have meant that the experience for disabled people has not always lived up to the rhetorical promise. In this context, disabled people with marginalised sexual and/or gender identities face difficult choices in everyday interactions of support that trouble the idea that control routinely sits with them. In this article, we draw on two research studies with disabled people who use self-directed support in which they discuss navigating gender and sexual identity. In both studies, there are opportunities for disabled people to draw on support that is empowering, but we also hear about ‘bad bargains’ that they are sometimes forced to make. We argue that the hard-won goals of choice and control are being degraded and confronting LGBTQI+ and non-binary disabled people with sometimes impossible dilemmas.