High cost of mental health work absences

NHS BOSSES ARE FACED WITH THOUSANDS OF STAFF OFF SICK

- By CARL EVE

HOSPITAL chiefs have recognised they have a "high number of staff absences" related to mental health, but claim the introduction last year of a dedicated Wellbeing Team aimed to tackled the issue.

A Freedom on Information request by Legal Expert found that University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust had seen 6,228 staff members take absence due to mental health reasons since 2021, with figures rising in the past year.

It's long been recognised, even before the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, that NHS staff were bearing the brunt of endless battles with the Governments over pay, dilapidated working environments, hostile patients and funding cuts to services. Many spoke of being left exhausted from working long hours, feeling undervalued at being paid minimum wages, despite working in high pressure environments and burning out from tackling the pandemic.