Funding cut to NHS staff mental health support services 'deeply concerning'
12 April 2024
Responding to the announcement that NHS Practitioner Health has pulled funding for mental health and addiction services for NHS secondary care staff from Monday 15 April until 31 March 2025, Saffron Cordrey, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers said:
"It's deeply concerning that vital funding for mental health support services for NHS hospital staff has been pulled.
"This comes at a particularly challenging time for NHS staff, who are working flat out to deliver high-quality patient care in the face of rising pressure.
"Survey after survey shows low morale and high burnout among NHS staff, with stress, anxiety and depression being the top reasons for staff sickness absence.
"National funding is needed to bolster trusts' efforts to build better working conditions and support staff wellbeing. We were hugely disappointed when national funding for staff wellbeing hubs was cut, taking away vital mental health support.
"With more than 111,000 unfilled jobs across the NHS, retention and development of valued healthcare staff is critical to the long-term health and wellbeing of the NHS and the patients it serves."
Related articles
- News
Scope for improvement of National Oversight Framework
27 Jun 2025Daniel Elkeles responds to the publication by NHS England of the National Oversight Framework 2025/26.
Delivery and performance
Regulation
- News
Growing prevalence of mental health conditions underlines need for prevention and early intervention
26 Jun 2025Saffron Cordery responds to new figures on the prevalence of mental health conditions
Mental health
Prevention
Race equality
- News
NHS still has a ‘long way to go’ to improve working conditions for ethnic minority and disabled staff
25 Jun 2025Saffron Cordery responds to the publication of the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) and Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES) reports
Leadership
Race equality
Workforce
- News
Health inequalities are the right focus
25 Jun 2025Daniel Elkeles responds to further steps announced by the government to address health inequalities.
Finance
Health inequalities
- News
NHS Providers responds to rapid review into maternity services
23 Jun 2025Daniel Elkeles responds to the announcement of a rapid national investigation into NHS maternity services
Health inequalities
Workforce
Leadership
Improvement
- News
Foundation trusts for the modern age ‘a winning formula’
12 Jun 2025Daniel Elkeles responds to Wes Streeting's speech at ConfedExpo
Finance
Improvement
Integration
Leadership
NHS architecture