TY - JOUR
T1 - Work related well-being in the UK physiotherapy workforce
T2 - Part I. Quantitative findings from the YOURvieWS cross-sectional e-survey
AU - C J, Minns Lowe
AU - M, Newman
AU - A, Herbland
AU - N, Heneghan
AU - A, Moulson
AU - N, Owusu
AU - K, Beeton
N1 - © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. This is the accepted manuscript version of an article which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2025.101806
PY - 2025/5/21
Y1 - 2025/5/21
N2 - Objectives
To explore burnout, professional fulfilment, work related stress, well-being and working patterns within the physiotherapy workforce
Design
A cross-sectional, convenience, voluntary, open e-survey.
Setting
Online.
Participants
UK physiotherapy workforce, including physiotherapists, students, support workers across all workplace settings and across the UK.
Intervention
Following development and pre-testing, the e-survey was widely advertised and ran from 08/03/2023-30/04/2023 via Bristol Online Survey.
Main outcome measures
Stanford Professional Fulfilment Index (SPFI), a score for work related and private life related stress, work-life balance, WHO 5 well-being questionnaire and questions to capture working patterns, diversity and inclusivity questions and demographic data.
Results
Following data cleaning, 666/764 (87%) female and 92/764 (12%)male respondents. SPFI: burnout prevalence was 49%(376/764). 436/564 respondents (57%) reported feeling stressed “often” or “very often” (past month). WHO 5 scores had a median of 45 (IQR: 30-60) indicating many have score ≤50 indicating poor wellbeing. 45%(340/764) respondents reported their work-life balance over the previous 2 weeks as unbalanced/very unbalanced.
57%(435/764) reported that they worked full time and 43%(329/764) part-time. 78%(598/764) reported having one physiotherapy role, 18%(139/764) reported having two roles, 3%(23/764) having four roles and 1%(4/764) having five roles and unpaid hours were raised as problematic. 54% (411/764) reported being absent from work/study in the last year and 10%(76/764) reported adjusted work/study. 9%(72/764) reported additional non-physiotherapy roles/jobs.
Conclusions
This e-survey obtained snapshot views from self-selecting participants. The positive workforce developments being experienced within the physiotherapy profession are threatened by poor work-related well-being, including burnout and stress. Action is required.
Contribution of paper
Identifies important concerns, and urgent action needed, regarding work related well-being in the physiotherapy workforce
Provides evidence for policy makers and to inform policy and strategic planning
Profession specific strategies to measure and improve WRWB in the physiotherapy workforce should be implemented and monitored at national, local and departmental level.
AB - Objectives
To explore burnout, professional fulfilment, work related stress, well-being and working patterns within the physiotherapy workforce
Design
A cross-sectional, convenience, voluntary, open e-survey.
Setting
Online.
Participants
UK physiotherapy workforce, including physiotherapists, students, support workers across all workplace settings and across the UK.
Intervention
Following development and pre-testing, the e-survey was widely advertised and ran from 08/03/2023-30/04/2023 via Bristol Online Survey.
Main outcome measures
Stanford Professional Fulfilment Index (SPFI), a score for work related and private life related stress, work-life balance, WHO 5 well-being questionnaire and questions to capture working patterns, diversity and inclusivity questions and demographic data.
Results
Following data cleaning, 666/764 (87%) female and 92/764 (12%)male respondents. SPFI: burnout prevalence was 49%(376/764). 436/564 respondents (57%) reported feeling stressed “often” or “very often” (past month). WHO 5 scores had a median of 45 (IQR: 30-60) indicating many have score ≤50 indicating poor wellbeing. 45%(340/764) respondents reported their work-life balance over the previous 2 weeks as unbalanced/very unbalanced.
57%(435/764) reported that they worked full time and 43%(329/764) part-time. 78%(598/764) reported having one physiotherapy role, 18%(139/764) reported having two roles, 3%(23/764) having four roles and 1%(4/764) having five roles and unpaid hours were raised as problematic. 54% (411/764) reported being absent from work/study in the last year and 10%(76/764) reported adjusted work/study. 9%(72/764) reported additional non-physiotherapy roles/jobs.
Conclusions
This e-survey obtained snapshot views from self-selecting participants. The positive workforce developments being experienced within the physiotherapy profession are threatened by poor work-related well-being, including burnout and stress. Action is required.
Contribution of paper
Identifies important concerns, and urgent action needed, regarding work related well-being in the physiotherapy workforce
Provides evidence for policy makers and to inform policy and strategic planning
Profession specific strategies to measure and improve WRWB in the physiotherapy workforce should be implemented and monitored at national, local and departmental level.
U2 - 10.1016/j.physio.2025.101806
DO - 10.1016/j.physio.2025.101806
M3 - Article
SN - 0031-9406
JO - Physiotherapy
JF - Physiotherapy
M1 - 101806
ER -