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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2017/oct/10/mental-health-workforce-reached-cliff-edge
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| The mental health workforce is 'reaching a cliff edge'. What can be done? | The mental health workforce is 'reaching a cliff edge'. What can be done? |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
| She argues that increased demand, particularly in children and adolescent mental health services and crisis care, have added to staff stress. People who present for treatment are often, Cordery says, “more unwell and have more complex needs because the broader preventative services that used to be in place are no longer there”. These include local government services to treat drug or alcohol problems. | She argues that increased demand, particularly in children and adolescent mental health services and crisis care, have added to staff stress. People who present for treatment are often, Cordery says, “more unwell and have more complex needs because the broader preventative services that used to be in place are no longer there”. These include local government services to treat drug or alcohol problems. |
| Kim Moore, senior lecturer in nursing at Birmingham City University, says that more nurses are now leaving than joining the profession and for many the combination of poor pay and overwork has become “unmanageable”. The abolition of bursaries for nursing students and the impact of Brexit will create “an even bigger hole”, she says. | Kim Moore, senior lecturer in nursing at Birmingham City University, says that more nurses are now leaving than joining the profession and for many the combination of poor pay and overwork has become “unmanageable”. The abolition of bursaries for nursing students and the impact of Brexit will create “an even bigger hole”, she says. |
| Cuts in funding are one of the reasons that mental health trusts are changing their model of care, says Helen Gilburt, fellow in health policy at the King’s Fund thinktank: “They are moving away from very specific services, to thinking about how we can support people to recover and have quality of life while living with mental health problems.” This shift has prompted the recruitment of a broader skill mix in the workforce, with less reliance on mental health nurses. | Cuts in funding are one of the reasons that mental health trusts are changing their model of care, says Helen Gilburt, fellow in health policy at the King’s Fund thinktank: “They are moving away from very specific services, to thinking about how we can support people to recover and have quality of life while living with mental health problems.” This shift has prompted the recruitment of a broader skill mix in the workforce, with less reliance on mental health nurses. |
| The recent mental health workforce plan announced by the Department of Health reflects this new mix. Some 8,000 of the 21,000 new posts promised are for roles that are not professionally regulated, such as peer support workers and nursing associates. | The recent mental health workforce plan announced by the Department of Health reflects this new mix. Some 8,000 of the 21,000 new posts promised are for roles that are not professionally regulated, such as peer support workers and nursing associates. |
| While the plan has been welcomed by the sector, there is scepticism about whether it will be enough. Sean Duggan, chief executive of the Mental Health Network of the membership organisation NHS Confederation, supports the creation of new roles such as nurse associates. “However,” he says, “the thing that really worries trusts is where will they get [the staff] from? | While the plan has been welcomed by the sector, there is scepticism about whether it will be enough. Sean Duggan, chief executive of the Mental Health Network of the membership organisation NHS Confederation, supports the creation of new roles such as nurse associates. “However,” he says, “the thing that really worries trusts is where will they get [the staff] from? |
| “It takes seven or eight years to train a doctor and four to train a nurse. Money is only part of the solution.” | “It takes seven or eight years to train a doctor and four to train a nurse. Money is only part of the solution.” |
| Cordery wants guarantees that the new money will reach frontline services, as well as greater effort to make the sector attractive to new staff. “We’re not going to be able to magic them out of thin air,” she says. | Cordery wants guarantees that the new money will reach frontline services, as well as greater effort to make the sector attractive to new staff. “We’re not going to be able to magic them out of thin air,” she says. |
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