Call for NHS staff to reach out for mental health support

With mental health conditions being highlighted as one of the most reported reasons for staff sickness in the NHS, we are calling on staff to come forward and access the free support and advice available from our service.

Latest data on sickness absence in the NHS shows that in May 2023 anxiety, stress, depression and other mental health illnesses accounted for over half a million equivalent working days being lost and 26.4% of all sickness absence, highlighting the immense psychological strain NHS staff are under.

With these figures it’s more important than ever that NHS staff feel supported and have somewhere to turn for advice and guidance.

Here at the Humber and North Yorkshire Resilience Hub, we continue to provide NHS staff across North Yorkshire, East Riding, Humberside, Vale of York and North and Northeast Lincolnshire with emotional and wellbeing support.

Since February 2021 we’ve supported 1,267 NHS staff with hundreds more from wider emergency services, social care and the voluntary sector. Our Hub is operated by professionally trained mental health professionals with extensive experience. We offer free, confidential advice and support for a wide range of issues from emotional wellbeing to bereavement, debt, domestic violence and relationship issues.

Service Manager for the Hub, Holly Walker said: “NHS staff have been under unprecedented strain for several years now and the strain is really showing. It’s so important that staff know that dedicated support is still available across the region and that they can reach out for help.

“We are here to listen and provide the support and advice that they need. Where necessary we can also help with signposting and referrals to wider support services too. Staff are normal people too and need the same support as anyone else. People don’t have to suffer in silence.”

One staff member who used the service said: “The care I received was quick and efficiently provided. I was always treated as an individual and not as a number and I felt listened to non-judgementally.” Another added: “’The Resilience Hub offers a brilliant service. The clinicians I had contact with were empathic, understanding and compassionate.”

Our service is completely confidential and separate from mental health and internal occupational health services. If you or someone you know is struggling take the first steps to getting the support you need click the links on this site, email [email protected] or call 03300 022 044 (Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm).