Record levels of NHS staff seek mental health help in crisis deemed ‘worse than pandemic’

Record levels of NHS staff are seeking mental health help as clinicians warn the “crisis” facing workers is “worse than the pandemic”.

Hundreds of staff are being referred to the specialist mental health service, NHS Practitioner Health, with 842 workers referred in October 2022 – up from 534 in the same month the year before and 371 in 2020.

Around 40% of the staff seeking the service are GPs and 50% are hospital doctors.

The news comes as The Independent reported that the NHS and government are set to axe funding for 40 mental health hubs set up for health and social care workers following the pandemic.

Amandip Sidhu, of Doctors in Distress, which offers workers mental health support, said: “Health workers believe that the crisis they are currently dealing with is worse than during the pandemic and exacerbated by the fact there is no end in sight, with little evidence that decision-makers are taking steps to improve the situation.

“The fact that the public, their patients, lack sympathy or understanding is making many medics feel isolated and completely unappreciated.”

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Source: The Independent, 23 February 2023