Exploring engagement, access and barriers to clinical supervision in an older adult acute inpatient setting: A service evaluation project

This service evaluation examined staff engagement with clinical supervision across two older adult acute inpatient wards within Mental Health Services for Older People (MHSOP). A bespoke questionnaire was completed by 29 staff members. Descriptive analysis indicated most staff value their one-to-one supervision and report positive experiences. Multidisciplinary team (MDT) supervision was also viewed positively, particularly regarding psychological safety and the importance of protected time. Despite this, substantial barriers limited attendance across both supervision formats, which included workload, ward acuity, staffing pressures, and perceived lack of leadership prioritisation. Findings align with existing research while adding local insights into specific barriers and areas of improvement to support sustainable supervision practices. Future qualitative work is recommended to explore staff experiences of supervision in more detail.