NHS absences in West Midlands for mental health reasons increasing
NHS Trusts across the West Midlands and Black Country have seen hundreds of staff take at least one day off work due to a mental health issue in the past three years, a new investigation has revealed.
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Figures obtained by Legal Expert found that the University Hospitals Birmingham, The Dudley Group, The Royal Wolverhampton and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trusts have seen 15,549 staff absences due to mental health reasons since 2021, with figures rising in the past year.
In 2021-22, the number of staff at the trusts who took a day off for mental health reasons stood at 5,014. A year later, this number dropped to 5,010, which is the lowest number of staff absent over the three-year period but the past year has seen an increase in staff absences due to mental health issues, standing at 5,525.
The data and research was gathered by FOI requests to all the trusts, which provide healthcare and community services to residents across the Midlands, from a number of hospital sites.
These hubs served as a vital lifeline for a workforce in crisis, and closures across the support network have led to the number of staff absences due to mental health reasons rising year on year.
Earlier this year, it was announced that government funding was ending for a national network of mental health and wellbeing hubs that were established in 2020-21 to support NHS frontline workers during the pandemic.
According to a recent poll conducted by NHS Charities, three out of four staff have experienced poor mental health in the past year, suggesting that issues around pay and workload have resulted in a number of mental challenges.
In a statement about the poll NHS Charities Together, said: “Far from being a seasonal issue, winter pressures are felt by NHS staff all year round.
"A huge 96 per cent of NHS staff surveyed said they believed that pressure on NHS services is growing.
“Faced with the responsibilities of saving lives, high workload, long and unsociable hours and exposure to traumatic events, it’s no surprise that many NHS staff are struggling with their mental health. "
Pressures inside the NHS have become so severe that the equivalent of a week off work was taken by every single one of the health service’s 350k nurses last year due to stress, anxiety and depression, analysis of new NHS England data shows.
Due to ongoing staffing problems, many workers are pushed beyond their mental and physical limits due to long, intensive hours.
A survey conducted by The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) revealed pay is the biggest source of dissatisfaction among nurses, with 88 per-cent of respondents indicating a pay rise would significantly improve their situation.
Other factors, including more flexible working hours, increased holidays, and shorter shifts, would also make a difference in a nurse's quality of life.
A spokesperson on behalf of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust which runs New Cross and The Manor Hospitals said: “Across the trusts we recognise the importance of staff health and wellbeing.
“We have a suite of support packages in place for staff experiencing mental health issues. At both trusts, staff have access to the trust’s Occupational Health and Wellbeing Service, and self-help guides via the respective intranet sites.
“And at both trusts there are counselling or mental health services with signposting to such support available around the clock.”
