Over 7,500 staff at Essex NHS Trusts have had to take at least one day off work due to a mental health issue in the past three years, a new investigation has revealed.
Figures obtained by Legal Expert found that East Suffolk and North Essex and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trusts has seen 7,615 staff members take absence due to mental health reasons since 2021, with figures rising in the past year.
Earlier this year, it was announced that government funding ended for a national network of mental health and wellbeing hubs that were established in 2020-21 to support NHS frontline workers during the pandemic.
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.
East Suffolk and North Essex and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trusts provide hospital and community health care services for Colchester, Ipswich and local areas, with the latter running three large acute hospitals located in Basildon, Chelmsford and Southend.
In 2021/22, the number of staff at the trust who took a day off for mental health reasons stood at 2,604.
A year later, this number decreased to 2,366, which is the lowest number of staff absent over the three-year period.
The past year has seen another rise in staff absences due to mental health issues, standing at 2,645.
According to a recent poll conducted by NHS Charities, three out of four NHS 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 its 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.
“These findings confirm how vital it is to prioritise mental well-being of the NHS workforce so that they can continue to deliver the best care for their patients.”
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 that pay is the biggest source of dissatisfaction among nurses. 88% of respondents indicated that 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.
Enhancing pay, reducing workloads, and providing better mental health support can help create a more sustainable and supportive environment for nurses, ensuring they can continue to deliver high-quality care without compromising their well-being.
Legal Expert offers free advice and support to anyone who has suffered problems at work relating to mental health.
They operate a 24-hour helpline and claim online form, which you can access on their website.
