A tool that can predict staff resignations at the NHS, one of the UK's
largest employers, just won a major AI prize

Date:
Sat, 20 Jun 2026 07:05:00 +0000

Description:
University researchers and NHS staff developed an AI forecasting tool that predicts resignations and explains workforce factors behind possible departures.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter AI tool predicts NHS staff resignations using workforce patterns and data Royal Berkshire NHS wins award for innovative employee retention technology New model explains reasons
behind possible staff departures before decisions happen An AI forecasting tool built for the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust in the UK has won recognition for predicting staff resignations before they actually happen.

The project, developed in collaboration with the University of Reading, draws on workforce data to flag what's pushing employees toward the decision to leave. It picked up the Aiconics AI Enterprise Business of the Year award at the National AI Awards 2026, after judges weighed in on its real-world application. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: AI model digs into workforce patterns behind possible departures The system was built to give managers an earlier warning of retention problems across a workforce of
around 7,500 NHS employees.

Unlike the Trust's old reactive process, this model actually explains the reasoning behind each prediction, rather than just spitting out a result. You may like Inside the rise of AI mental health prediction tools at work Microsoft rolls out Copilot AI tools to over half a million NHS England staff Why AI adoption isnt just a tech problem, but a retention risk

"This award reflects what's possible when academic expertise in AI and forecasting is applied directly to a real problem facing the NHS," said Shixuan Wang, a professor at the University of Reading.

The model pinpoints specific factors tied to resignation risk, so HR teams
can actually understand why a prediction was made instead of treating it as a mystery. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The initiative ties directly into NHS workforce goals, tackling turnover, cutting down disruption, and looking for ways to keep more staff in post.

It brings academic research together with operational healthcare data, which wasn't simple, and questions remain about how well these scales or holds up over time.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust delivers acute and specialist care
across Berkshire, serving roughly a million people through its hospitals and services. What to read next Why firms are quietly rehiring staff AI was supposed to replace UK NHS chief champions Palantirs 'outstanding results - but staff aren't keen 'Some of our employees fear job loss, and it turns them away from AI altogether': AI is helping boost productivity for some workers but others still say they're afraid to use it

Before this, the Trust leaned on reactive reporting, meaning managers often only found out about a retention problem once someone had already decided to walk.

The researchers used data analysis to build an AI tool that supports
workforce planning while still leaving the final call to human decision-makers.

Throughout development, the team kept a close eye on combining operational know-how with academic rigor, without losing sight of responsible AI use in a healthcare setting. Recognition comes as organizations explore predictive AI systems "Entries for the 2026 National AI Awards were hugely impressive, with companies spanning a huge range of industries and innovations," said Fergus Bruce, CEO of The National AI Awards.

The organisation said this year's entries showed measurable value,
responsible innovation, and genuinely practical results across different sectors.

As LLMs increasingly find their way into workforce management, interest in predictive tools for organisational decisions keeps growing.

People from different backgrounds shaped this project, spanning data analytics, strategic HR research, and healthcare workforce operations throughout.

The forecasting tool is meant to give managers more to work with, not replace them, since employment decisions still rest with human judgement.

Whether tools like this catch on more broadly will come down to accuracy, trust, privacy concerns, and whether they genuinely deliver useful outcomes. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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