Concern as NHS staff hubs close
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NHS and social care staff face “patchy” mental health support across England, leading health organisations have said.
Royal colleges, unions, think tanks and other staff groups have come together to demand that the Government takes “urgent steps” to protect the wellbeing of health and care staff as specialist hubs “continue to close”.
Ring-fenced funding for NHS Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs was cut a year ago, the organisations said, and as a result, staff in need of support are facing a “postcode lottery” of care, with 18 of the original 40 hubs closing since March 2023, they said.
Three hubs are set to close at the end of March, and a further nine are yet to receive confirmation of funding. Just 10 hubs have confirmed funding for part or all of 2024/25.
The organisations have written a letter to Health Secretary Victoria Atkins calling for more to be done to support a “struggling workforce”.
They highlight how the hubs aim to “end a cycle of staff waiting until reaching breaking point to seek support” and how investing in mental health support could save the service money in the long run.
In the letter, the organisations wrote: “We urge the Government to restore long-term, ringfenced funding to provide equity of access to mental health support for all NHS and social care staff and to help safeguard the mental health of this vital workforce both now, and in the future.”
Dr Roman Raczka, president-elect of the British Psychological Society, said: “The recent NHS Staff Survey results and evidence from Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs highlights why continued investment in mental health support remains a vital part of the solution to addressing workforce challenges, and research shows it makes good business sense.”
The letter was signed by the British Psychological Society, The King’s Fund, Royal College of Psychiatrists, British Medical Association, NHS Providers, Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Radiologists, Centre for Mental Health, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, British Association of Social Workers England, Association of Clinical Psychologists UK, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, Medical Protection Society, the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine and the HCSA – the hospital doctors’ union.
The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.