BPS welcomes reversal of decision to withdraw funding for NHS Practitioner Health

Responding to the announcement from NHS England that it will reinstate funding for the NHS Practitioner Health service for secondary care staff for one year, Dr Roman Raczka, President-Elect of The British Psychological Society, said: 

"We are pleased that NHS England has reversed its decision to cut funding from NHS Practitioner Health for secondary care staff. This decision will mean that doctors and dentists will be able to access vital mental health support when they need it and will not be left high and dry. 

"While this decision is welcome, it doesn't detract from the fact that the overall picture of mental health support for NHS and social care staff is patchy at best. We know that the removal of national ringfenced funding for the NHS Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs has already created a postcode lottery for staff needing to access mental health support. 

"Therefore, we welcome a review of mental health and wellbeing services that seeks to create equal access to high quality, timely psychological support for the whole of the health and care workforce, alongside NHS Practitioner Health. However, the uncertainty created by repeated short term funding decisions leaves existing services operating on the brink of potential closure, which is damaging for both the service employees and users. Evidence is clear that long term investment at scale in staff mental health support is needed, and it's vital that the government restores ringfenced funding.

"We await further information as to the full scope and timescale of the review announced by NHS England into staff mental health support and will continue to fight to ensure NHS and social care staff can access the mental health support they need."