Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Accepted
Mental health workforce experiences increased burnout and turnover due to staff shortages
Conclusion
We were also concerned about the impact of staff shortages on the welfare of the mental health workforce. Stakeholders told us about increased workload and pressure leading to “burnout” of remaining staff, contributing to a higher rate of staff turnover, and therefore more staff shortages in a vicious cycle. In 2021–22, 17,000 (12%) staff left the NHS mental health workforce, up from 13,000 (9%) in the pandemic year 2020–21, and pre-pandemic levels of around 14,000 (11%) a year. The proportion of staff citing work-life balance reasons for leaving increased from 4% in 2012–13 to 14% in 2021–22. In addition, the percentage of days lost from the mental health workforce “due to psychiatric reasons” has doubled in a decade.9 NHSE noted that, in common with all NHS staff, mental health problems are one of the two “biggest drivers of sickness”. It told us it is “very sighted of” the issue and has been working with providers to help support staff wellbeing.10 The Department and NHSE set out a number of other actions they are taking to help expand the workforce in the short term. These included, for example, schemes to increase overseas recruitment, the introduction of new additional roles such as peer support workers, the additional roles reimbursement scheme for GP practices to employ staff like mental health practitioners, and higher grants for mental health nursing students.11
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledged the committee's concerns about mental health workforce shortages and announced the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (published June 2023), which aims for the fastest growth in the mental health and learning disability workforce and outlines specific steps for recruitment, retention, and wellbeing, with an update expected by January 2024.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
1.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: January 2024 1.2 The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, published on 30 June 2023, considers the challenges facing the NHS workforce over the next 15 years, including mental health, and sets out the steps needed to address this, including: actions and reforms to close supply shortfalls, improve retention, increase workforce productivity, and develop a modern and inclusive employment culture. 1.3 The plan sets out a need to ensure the growth of the overall mental health and learning disability workforce is the fastest of all care settings – 4.4% per year to 2036-37 – to meet increasing demand and drive parity of esteem between physical and mental health. NHS England will continue to develop and refresh the modelling approach and plan, and publish a refreshed projection every two years (or aligned to fiscal events as appropriate). This process will be supported by ongoing engagement with stakeholders. NHS England will work closely with regions, systems, providers and wider partners to drive forward the implementation of the Long-Term Workforce Plan. 1.4 The National Mental Health programme continues to create new roles, develop a national campaign to promote careers in mental health, develop NHS Talking Therapies workforce development and retention guidance, and develop enhanced use of digital technologies to help improve the productivity of and increase access to mental health services. 1.5 NHS England will provide an update on progress in January 2024 as part of its joint letter with DHSC to the Committee.