The mental health workforce is 'reaching a cliff edge'. What can be done?

Senior level staff are leaving and not being replaced while increased demand for services has added to stress

The government has promised an extra 21,000 posts in mental health services by 2020 to help meet increasing pressures and deliver its long-term vision for the sector. The pledge comes as mental health trusts and service providers report being “overwhelmed” by rising demand and an increase in staff shortages.

Saffron Cordery is director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, which quizzed its members about the state of mental health services this summer. She says that the sector is “reaching a cliff edge” in terms of the workforce, with more senior-level staff leaving and not enough replacements coming through. Cordery adds that those who remain have seen a real-terms drop in wages as a result of the 1% public sector pay cap, and are under more pressure because of staff shortages.

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Continue reading... October 10, 2017 at 02:23PM