Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what interventions they are undertaking to address mental health-related sickness absence among NHS staff.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Looking after the mental health of National Health Service staff is a priority for the Government.
Employers across the NHS have their own arrangements in place in line with their duty of care for supporting their staff. Nationally, NHS England has a wide-ranging package of mental health and wellbeing support for all staff including, access to counselling services, a self-check wellbeing tool and free access to a range of wellbeing apps. Staff can also access the National Staff Mental Health Treatment Service, provided by Practitioner Health, for more complex mental health support, including trauma and addiction.
The 10-Year Health Plan committed to roll out Staff Treatment Hubs. These hubs will provide a high-quality occupational health service for all NHS staff and include support for mental health issues.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what factors they attribute to any persistently high levels of sickness absence within the NHS.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Improving National Health Service staff’s health and wellbeing is a priority, recognising the link between workforce wellbeing, attendance, and high-quality patient care.
NHS England is supporting organisations to strengthen their culture, improve working conditions, and expand access to high quality occupational health and wellbeing services.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out Staff Treatment hubs to ensure all staff have access to high quality occupational health support, including for mental health and musculoskeletal conditions, the two main causes of sickness absence in the NHS.
To further support this ambition, we are working with the Social Partnership Forum to introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment.
Asked by: Lord Godson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce levels of sickness absence among NHS staff.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Improving National Health Service staff’s health and wellbeing is a priority, recognising the link between workforce wellbeing, attendance, and high-quality patient care.
NHS England is supporting organisations to strengthen their culture, improve working conditions, and expand access to high quality occupational health and wellbeing services.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we will roll out Staff Treatment hubs to ensure all staff have access to high quality occupational health support, including for mental health and musculoskeletal conditions, the two main causes of sickness absence in the NHS.
To further support this ambition, we are working with the Social Partnership Forum to introduce a new set of staff standards for modern employment.