NHS Practitioner Health is a free, confidential service for doctors and dentists across England with mental illness and addiction problems, who are working or looking to return to clinical practice. In a statement, Practitioner Health said: "We have been in discussion with NHS England over arrangements for the service from 1 April 2024 and want to reassure all patients who are already registered with the service that this does not alter your situation. We will continue to support all existing patients to complete their treatment. NHS England are undertaking a review of the staff support offer for mental health across all staff groups to consider long term sustainable options. We will contribute to the review. On this basis we have agreed with NHS England to halt new registrations for secondary care staff from 15 April 2024 onwards. New secondary care patients will be signposted to alternative sources of support, including your GP, occupational health departments and organisational employee assistance programmes. The arrangements for the primary care element of Practitioner Health have been extended for a further 12 months to 31 March 2025."
SOM believes that all NHS staff should have timely access to evidence based mental healthcare. SOM acknowledge that the Government has rightly determined that military veterans deserve a dedicated mental health service (called Op Courage in England with similar services in the devolved administrations) because of the sacrifices they have made to protect the nation. SOM believe that NHS staff made similar sacrifices during the COVID pandemic, and indeed they always have, and continue, to provide a vital service for the whole nation in challenging circumstances which pose a real and distinct threat to their mental health. SOM believe that it is thus right that NHS staff should also have access to dedicated mental health services not just because it is morally the right thing to do, but because it is only by having sufficient, mentally health staff, that the NHS will be able to fulfil its commitment to the nation to provide a high standard of care to the UK population.
In SOM’s view it is unhelpful to announce the ending of a specific mental health provision for NHS secondary care staff, without publishing details of the clear pathways for all NHS staff to access similar, or better provision.
SOM believe that a dedicated NHS staff mental health service, working alongside dedicated specialist occupational health provision, should be an essential element of the NHS people promise. The causes, and management, of mental health difficulties can often be complex and having a specialised treatment service like Practitioner Health is essential when local occupational health services are undertaking assessments to advise on health status in relation to patient safety.
Investment in occupational health in the NHS must be a part of plans going forward as part of the Growing Occupational Health and Wellbeing Strategy that NHS England agreed in January 2023.