Occupational Violence, Organisational Factors, Burnout and Workforce Withdrawal Intentions Among Inpatient Mental Health Staff: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Aim/Objective: To examine associations between occupational violence, organisational factors, burnout, and workforce withdrawal intentions among inpatient mental health staff. Method: An anonymous cross-sectional survey of 115 inpatient mental health staff within a United Kingdom mental health trust was conducted. Burnout was assessed using a seven-item composite derived from the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. Multivariable linear and ordinal logistic regression examined associations with burnout and workforce withdrawal intentions, respectively. Results: Verbal aggression was reported by 93.9% of respondents, including 41.7% at least weekly. Burnout differed across verbal-aggression frequency categories (F(5,109) = 2.43, p = 0.040). Lower perceived post-incident support (standardised β = −0.32; p = 0.001) and staffing adequacy (standardised β = −0.27; p = 0.015) were independently associated with higher burnout, whereas verbal aggression was not (p = 0.191). Higher burnout was associated with greater intention to leave the current role (aOR = 11.54, 95% CI 5.96–22.34; p < 0.001) and greater intention to reduce working hours (aOR = 3.49, 95% CI 2.16–5.66; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Organisational conditions, particularly perceived post-incident support, were associated with burnout after accounting for occupational violence exposure and staff characteristics. The cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, while the single-service setting and modest sample size may limit generalisability. Staffing adequacy and post-incident support represent potentially modifiable organisational factors warranting further investigation in relation to staff wellbeing and workforce sustainability. Longitudinal and interventional studies should evaluate whether changes in organisational conditions are associated with subsequent changes in burnout and workforce withdrawal intentions.