Labour have announced that they are 79 per cent of the way to their mental health recruitment target.
New figures show that more than 6,700 recruits have joined the health service since the 2024 election, with the government having pledged to recruit 8,500 new mental health staff by the end of this parliament
The milestone comes ahead of the publication of the 10 Year Health Plan which is set to pledge further support for mental health services.
Under the proposed plans, patients will be able to self-refer for talking therapies through the NHS App, avoiding the need for a GP appointment.
The government claims that the NHS App will provide a free alternative to “costly” apps and will offer a service built by trusted clinicians that will support patients with “the care they need” around the clock.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said: “Not getting the right support for your mental health isn’t just debilitating, it can hit a painful pause button on your life – stopping you working, enjoying time with family and friends, or living day-to-day life.
“Patients have faced the crisis of access to mental health services for far too long, and this government is determined to change that.
“That’s why we’re putting digital front doors on mental health services for patients up and down the country and harnessing technology to provide 24-hour care. And we’re creating more opportunities for support not just through the NHS App but through care in your community too.
“We are already over halfway towards our target of recruiting 8,500 extra mental health workers, and through our upcoming 10 Year Health Plan we will get more people back to health and back to work.”
A key priority of the government’s plan is that care is available around the clock. To do this, new emergency units will be staffed by specialist doctors and nurses around the clock for patients suffering a mental health crisis. These units will welcome walk in patients as well as those referred by a GP.
They will be built to offer a calm environment, away from the noise and “chaos” of major hospitals.
A Neighbourhood Mental Health Model will also be implemented to move specialist care closer to where people live, into their communities.
Further advances in mental health support could be made through AI-driven virtual support as a “first port of call”, or by producing free health and well-being advice that is currently locked behind paywalls or on paid-for apps, Labour claims
Featured image via Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.
