Dramatic increase in mental health staff needed

Sean Duggan, chief executive of the Mental Health Network, which is part of the NHS Confederation, said:

This report highlights the challenges faced by staff who work extremely hard and need more support to provide the best care. Mental health and learning disabilities have some of the highest vacancy rates across the system.

“Successful implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan will require a dramatic increase in the number of people who work in mental health and the upcoming NHS People Plan is an opportunity to make this happen.

“A long-term capital funding settlement for the sector would also improve the environment that staff work in, encouraging more people to work in mental health and to retain the brilliant staff we already have.”

About us

We are the membership organisation that brings together, supports and speaks for the whole healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The members we represent employ 1.5 million staff, care for more than 1 million patients a day and control £150 billion of public expenditure. We promote collaboration and partnership working as the key to improving population health, delivering high-quality care and reducing health inequalities.