A third of NHS employees have taken time off for mental health issues in the past year with many staff talking about reaching “breaking point”, according to new findings released by UNISON.
A survey of health workers, including nurses, occupational therapists and paramedics, has also found more than four in five (85%) have experienced stress at work over the past 12 months. Staff say stress has had a significant impact on their mental and physical health, with symptoms including anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks, migraines, and sleep disturbance.
Some have experienced high blood pressure, stress-related vomiting, dizziness and breathlessness, according to the findings of the union survey. One NHS worker even reported suffering a heart attack due to understaffing and high workloads.
Many described reaching breaking point, feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by sustained levels of stress. This has affected their relationships and family lives, with some reporting suicidal thoughts, UNISON says. NHS workers also described taking antidepressants and beta-blocker drugs, as well as undergoing cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling.
UNISON says the findings – based on responses from more than 19,000 staff and released during the union’s annual health conference in Edinburgh – paint a grim picture when the NHS workforce is under pressure to reduce waiting lists.
Almost a quarter (23%) didn’t tell their employer the real reason for their absence from work. Of those, most said they did not feel their manager would support them, while concerns about stigma and not wanting colleagues to know were also common.
Counselling, medication or other forms of support had been sought in the past year by more than one in four (28%) of those under stress. Almost two thirds (65%) of those who had taken time off for stress reported feeling that they were under pressure to come to work, despite feeling mentally unwell. This adds strain to an already overstretched workforce, UNISON says.
The Covid inquiry into the impact of the pandemic on the UK’s healthcare systems highlighted the “almost superhuman efforts” of NHS staff despite the significant and long-lasting impact on their mental health and wellbeing. Ongoing pressures and staff shortages since the pandemic are only adding to the problem, says UNISON.
UNISON head of health, Helga Pile, said: “Such high levels of stress in the NHS should be ringing alarm bells. Staff who care for others are being pushed to the point that they’re becoming unwell themselves.
“There should be no stigma around mental health, especially in healthcare. Staff need proper support to cope with the pressures they face.
“Government and employers must do more to help staff with their mental health, including providing fast-track access to treatment and moving away from punitive and counter-productive absence policies. They must also act to ensure the NHS is safely staffed to meet the growing needs of communities.”
