“Access to support isn’t equitable across the NHS” – Developing the Workforce Wellbeing Programme

Following on from the success of the NHS Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs campaign, the BPS and NHS Charities Together have joined forces to provide clinical expertise, learnings and insights to support the development of an important new Workforce Wellbeing Programme.

Last year, NHS Charities Together invested over £6m to fund the ambitious, three-year Workforce Wellbeing Programme, which was match-funded by an additional £5 million from NHS England, and there are aspirations to raise a further £5 million to support healthcare staff with their mental health and wellbeing. This will be tailored to the individual needs of NHS organisations and their workforces, supplementing existing support provided to staff. 

To continue the development of this vital programme, the BPS and NHS Charities Together recently held a workshop to enable hub leads to share learning and insight from the NHS Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs and help shape the future wellbeing programme.  

Key takeaways from the workshop included:  

• Support for making staff wellbeing a priority is needed across the whole healthcare system, especially from managers 
• Support currently isn't equitable across the NHS and this needs addressing, particularly in cases where staff have severe or complex needs 
• The type of interventions available need to be reviewed to make sure they offer an accessible form of support that incorporates Equality, Diversity and Inclusion principles 
• An additional focus on tackling stigma, suicide prevention and staff workplace safety support is needed 
• Initiatives that are agile and adapt to the changes in staff needs should be a priority 

In 2022-23, six million sick days due to poor mental health were recorded for NHS staff. There has also been a recent rise in the number of NHS staff leaving the profession due to health reasons, meaning there is an urgent need to continue, and expand upon, the current Workforce Wellbeing Programme.  

A consultant clinical psychologist and workshop participant said: 

"It was so good to get together with the senior colleagues who supported each other in setting up staff mental health services during the pandemic, to share on-the-ground insights and learnings."

Kelly Drewry, Workforce Wellbeing Lead from NHS Charities Together said:

"NHS Charities Together greatly appreciated the opportunity to speak with BPS members about workforce wellbeing issues. Their clinical expertise has provided helpful insights that will help us shape the Workforce Wellbeing Programme, ensuring it is tailored to the needs of NHS staff. We look forward to continuing to share learnings and insights with the BPS, to strengthen our collective impact on the NHS."