Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to improve pastoral care in NHS trusts.

NHS England has developed a number of health and wellbeing initiatives, which include a wellbeing guardian role, a focus on healthy working environments, tools and resources for line managers to hold meaningful conversations with staff to discuss their wellbeing, and access to emotional and psychological health and wellbeing support. They are also investing in occupational health services for NHS staff.

NHS England has created a Pastoral Care Quality Award for trusts that provide a high level of pastoral care to internationally educated recruits. Trusts that have achieved the award can use a graphic on their website and in marketing materials to signal that pastoral care is a priority. As of 12 June 2023, 56 trusts have achieved the Pastoral Care Quality Award, with 20 currently going through the judging process, and a further 76 applications submitted since its launch in March 2022.