The Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust has today given a cautious welcome to the news that several thousand more mental health staff are to be recruited to the NHS.
Aidan Thomas said: “CPFT - and other Trusts involved in mental health care - have long campaigned for an increase in staff to help us meet the demand from patients and service users.
“The links between mental and physical health are well documented but for too long the investment in mental health services has not kept pace with that of physical health.”
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that the aim is to recruit enough nurses, therapists and consultants to treat an extra one million patients by 2020-21.
“While the Secretary of State's announcement is encouraging,” Aidan added, “what we need to know is what, if any, extra funds will be available, how the extra staff will be attracted to mental health services when so many vacancies already exist, and the timescale around these proposals.
“At CPFT we have recently launched the First Response Service offering 24/7 crisis support, and rapidly expanded our Psychological Wellbeing Service to help those with stress, anxiety and depression.
“Increased staffing and investment is needed though if the Trust - and the NHS overall - if we are to ensure we can continue to care for those who need our help.”
