Redeployment experiences of healthcare workers in the UK during COVID-19: a cross-sectional analysis from the nationwide UK-REACH study

Objectives: To assess how ethnicity, migration status and occupation are associated with healthcare workers (HCW) redeployment experiences during COVID-19 in a nationwide ethnically diverse sample.

Design: A cross-sectional analysis using data from the nationwide United Kingdom Research Study into Ethnicity And COVID-19 outcomes in Healthcare workers (UK-REACH) cohort study.

Setting: Healthcare settings.

Participants: Healthcare workers (HCW).

Main outcome measures: Outcome measures included redeployment, provision of training and supervision during redeployment, change in patient contact and interaction with COVID-19 patients.

Methods: We used logistic regression to examine associations of ethnicity, migration status, and occupation with redeployment experiences of HCWs.

Results: Of the 10,889 HCWs included, 20.4% reported being redeployed during the first UK national lockdown in March 2020. Those in nursing roles (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.22, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.04-1.42, p = 0.009) (compared to medical roles) had higher likelihood of being redeployed as did migrants compared to those born in the UK (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.06-1.49, p = 0.01) (in a subcohort of HCWs on the agenda for change (AfC) pay scales). Asian HCWs were less likely to report receiving training (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50-0.88, p = 0.005) and Black HCWs (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.14-3.57, p = 0.02) were more likely to report receiving supervision, compared to White colleagues. Finally, redeployed Black (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.07-1.66, p = 0.009) and Asian HCWs (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.14-1.48, p < 0.001) were more likely to report face-to-face interaction with COVID-19 patients than White HCWs.

Conclusions: Our findings highlight disparities in HCWs' redeployment experiences by ethnicity, migration, and job role which are potentially related to structural inequalities in healthcare.