At a speech given at East London Foundation Trust, Matt Hancock launches the mental health report by Health Education England. To begin the speech, Matt Hancock offered an apology to all of the NHS staff that had been let down by the leadership of the NHS.
Matt Hancock also discussed Lauren Phillips, a doctor for the NHS who took her own life as the job pressures and work-life balance took its toll. The NHS did not have the support in place that she, and many other NHS staff, need.
Matt Hancock said; “Across the NHS, we don’t do enough to care for our carers. And for that I am sorry.”
Now, Matt Hancock has commissioned a report from Health Education England that focused on the difficulties that NHS frontline workers face. The report, entitled; NHS Staff and Learners’ Mental Wellbeing Commission Report, will offer recommendations that the government can put in place to provide the care and support that NHS staff need.
From the report, Matt Hancock highlights three aspects;
1. Smart rotas – So that staff can have the time they need for their personal life
2. More care for carers – So that carers can be patients too
3. NHS culture needs to change to recruit and retain staff.
To make the changes that NHS staff needs, Matt Hancock says;
“The only way we can do that is by caring better for our carers.
By looking after the people who look after us.
By making sure that when somebody needs help, there’s someone they can turn to, someone they can talk to.
By valuing our NHS staff.
By building a just, caring culture.
Apologising when we get it wrong, and learning from our mistakes.”
Now the government will use the report to create a system where NHS staff receive the support they need and to hopefully stop future doctors and nurses from going through the same pain that Lauren Phillips went through
