Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional funding has been made available to the NHS for the (a) mental health hotline for staff and (b) package of measures to support NHS staff through the covid-19 outbreak.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 response, the Department commissioned NHS England and NHS Improvement to develop a comprehensive package of emotional, psychological, and practical support for National Health Service staff.

In response, NHS England and NHS Improvement have funded a range of services to support the health and mental wellbeing of NHS staff, including a dedicated staff support helpline (in partnership with Samaritans), virtual staff common rooms for mutual support, and a separate helpline offering bereavement support (in partnership with Hospice UK). More information on support available to all NHS staff is online at the following link:

people.nhs.uk/help