New figures, released by the charity NIGHT, show the impact of mental health problems on staff within the NHS in Cornwall.

A Freedom of Information request by the charity, which was established to raise funds to provide confidential mental health treatment to NHS nurses, found that in the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust between 2018 and 2020:

242,764 workdays were lost through sickness leave.

68,298 of those workdays were lost through mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

12,420 staff had taken sick leave.

2,036 of those staff had taken sick leave through mental health issues.

Of almost 1,200 nurses who responded to a Nursing Times survey in February 2021, 44% described their mental health and wellbeing as “bad” or “very bad” – a 10% rise on the 2020 survey. In addition, 62% felt their mental health was “worse” or “much worse” now than it was during the early spike in cases in spring 2020.

Nursing Timesalso asked for views on the current level of mental health and wellbeing support available to all health and social care staff.

  • 62% said the support provided nationally was “inadequate” or “very inadequate.
  • 10% said the support was “good” or “very good”.
  • At employer level 57% rated the level of support provided locally as “inadequate” or “very inadequate”.
  • 40% had received support from a line manager or colleague and felt this had helped.
  • More than a third said they had needed support but did not feel able to ask for it.
  • 13% had asked for it but not received any.

Peter Arndt from the charity NIGHT said: “The NHS does its best to support staff and provide them with the treatment they need if they are suffering from mental health issues.

“Although the 320,000 NHS nursing staff can be referred to local mental health services, research has shown that many feel they may be stigmatised if they disclose a mental illness to their employer. This is backed up by the Nursing Times survey.

“Post COVID it is expected we will see an increase in anxiety, stress, depression, or other psychiatric illnesses.

“NIGHT was set up to bridge the gap and provide free and confidential support and therapy to nurses who may be struggling for whatever reason.

“Although we are a new charity, already we are seeing the demand for our services. However, this takes money and currently we are fundraising to ensure that we can meet the needs of the nurses, and eventually expand to include other frontline care staff including doctors.

“Our own figures demonstrate the scale of the problem, and this is not something new, or something that is going to go away.”

Anyone seeking help or willing to donate or get involved in fundraising can find full details at www.nightfornurses.co.uk