FoNS Report Highlights Benefits of Investing in Nursing Leadership and Wellbeing
The Foundation of Nursing Studies (FoNS) has published its first Impact Report, Measuring What Matters, demonstrating how investment in person-centred cultures, leadership development and workforce wellbeing can improve experiences for nurses, patients, residents and health and care organisations.
The report comes at a critical time for the UK workforce. NHS Staff Survey findings show rising levels of work-related stress and burnout among nurses and midwives, while around one in three are considering leaving their organisation and up to one in ten are considering leaving the profession altogether.
Against this backdrop, FoNS worked with nearly 900 nurses and health and care professionals during 2025, providing more than 17,000 hours of facilitated support through leadership, culture change and restorative clinical supervision programmes. The report highlights measurable improvements in leadership confidence, workplace culture, psychological safety, person-centred practice and workforce wellbeing.
Key findings from the report
• Supporting the nursing workforce when it matters most
• Developing compassionate and confident leaders
• Creating safer cultures of care
• Improving wellbeing, retention and sustainability
• Embedding person-centred cultures
• Strengthening quality and safety
• Influencing change beyond programmes
According to the report, 82% of participants said they felt better equipped to lead and manage change within their organisations, while all respondents reported creating safer and more positive learning environments for staff. Nearly seven in ten participants said their workplace had become more person-centred and a more attractive place to work.
The findings also suggest a positive impact on workforce retention, with 75% of former participants saying involvement in FoNS programmes made them more likely to remain in the nursing profession. Participants also reported improvements in psychological safety, team relationships, communication and quality of care.
Joanne Bosanquet MBE, Chief Executive of the Foundation of Nursing Studies, said:
“Workforce pressures remain significant. Around one in three nurses and midwives are considering leaving their organisation and up to one in ten are considering leaving the profession altogether. This represents a profound risk to the sustainability, safety and quality of care.
Our report demonstrates that investing in nurses, midwives and their teams is not a cost. It is an investment in safer care, stronger cultures, better experiences and a more sustainable workforce.”
Claire Taylor MBE, Chief Nursing Officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “The FoNS Impact Report provides robust, evidence-based insight into the reach and impact of its programmes on nursing practice, patient care and workplace culture. It strengthens the case for investing in person-centred cultures by linking programme participation to improved experiences for both patients and staff.”
