‘Living with Covid’: Well-being, Burnout, and Moral Injury in England’s Adult Social Care Workforce – A Survey Study

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for the adult social care sector, necessitating rapid changes in service delivery. Understanding the factors influencing the well-being of staff beyond the pandemic’s initial crisis response phase is crucial. Objective: The article examines the mental well-being, burnout, and the morally injurious experiences of the adult social care workforce in Greater Manchester during the UK’s ’Living with COVID’ phase, initiated in February 2022. Methods: An online survey collected responses from 251 social care staff. Regression analyses, employing a job-demands and resources framework (JD-R), considered demographic, occupational, and COVID-19-related factors to predict psychological outcomes. Findings: Significant levels of low mental well-being (34%) and burnout (31% likely experiencing burnout, 36% at risk) were observed. Additionally, 40% reported experiencing events that were potentially morally injurious. COVID-19-related factors had a significant impact on these outcomes. Satisfaction with infection control measures and access to sufficient resources were associated with more favourable outcomes. Considerable changes in daily activities and dissatisfaction with infection control measures were associated with increased levels of burnout and exposure to morally injurious experiences. Demographic and occupational factors had a lesser influence. Limitations: The study was conducted in a single geographic region of England with non-probability sampling methods and recruitment, potentially impacting the generalisability of the findings. Implications: The findings highlight the importance of adequate resources and infection control measures in reducing harm in the adult social care workforce and building resilience for future sector pressures.