Sainsbury Centre welcomes
report on health of NHS staff

19 August 2009

"Steve Boorman's proposals offer a promising way forward for the NHS to become an exemplar employer in the UK," Sainsbury Centre employment programme associate director Helen Lockett said today.

Responding to the NHS Health and Well-being Review interim report, published today, Helen Lockett said: "We warmly welcome Dr Boorman's call for routine early intervention support for NHS staff experiencing mental distress. For too long NHS staff have feared admitting to having mental health problems. And when they have, too many have received inadequate support.

"We welcome the call for all managers in the NHS to develop the skills to support staff health and wellbeing. Line managers across the NHS need training and support to help them to identify the signs of distress and to respond well to staff who need help to stay at work and overcome ill health.

"We support Dr Boorman's proposal for NHS occupational health services to refocus on staff health and wellbeing, for board level champions in every NHS organisation and for staff health and wellbeing to be a priority in the next NHS Operating Framework.

"Mental ill health among staff costs the NHS some £1.3 billion a year. Investing now in staff health and wellbeing represents a major efficiency saving. With tough times predicted for NHS funding in the next decade, improved staff health and wellbeing will make the service fitter and stronger in the years to come and make it an exemplar employer for all to follow."