Strategies that impact the workforce retention of physiotherapists and other allied health professionals: a scoping review

2025

Authors

Watson, G., Rodger, R., Buhler, M., Tofi, U., Gauld, R., Perry, M.A.

Abstract

Background

Retaining physiotherapists is essential for addressing health workforce shortages and maldistribution. The limited amount of existing research has focused on what factors influence physiotherapists’ intent to stay. This review aimed to synthesise research measuring the impact of workforce strategies on the retention of allied health professionals (AHPs) and the implications for physiotherapy, with a secondary focus on workforce diversity and inclusion.

Method

A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA and JBI guidelines. Comprehensive searches of academic and grey literature databases were completed. Two reviewers independently screened and reviewed the studies for eligibility using Covidence®. Key characteristics of eligible studies were extracted into a data charting table.

Results

Of the 5957 studies retrieved, 22 met the eligibility criteria. Twelve studies recruited participants from a single discipline, including five uni-professional studies on physiotherapists. Ten studies involved participants from multiple AHP disciplines. Strategies were deductively themed into five core retention groupings. Fifteen studies reported strategies with positive effects, three found no effect, and four reported negative impacts on workforce retention. No studies included or reported on outcomes of retention interventions of allied health professionals who were Indigenous, ethnically diverse and/or disabled.

Conclusions

Workplace strategies can both positively and negatively impact AHP retention. Key recommendations for physiotherapy leaders are to optimise opportunities for personal growth; reduce workplace stressors such as workload, rostering and physical demands of the job; and measure workforce retention when implementing healthcare change or restructuring activities. Research is needed to examine strategies that could positively impact workforce diversity and inclusion.

Publication Link

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21679169.2025.2469108#abstract