Delighted to see NHS England & Dr Navina Evans U-turn on their appalling decision to cut NHS Practitioner Health mental health support for hospital doctors.

The 16k responses to our open letter of protest were crystal clear - this service is vital & necessary.

Cut it at your peril. 1/2

The response to our announcement has been overwhelming, with an outpouring of support and love for the service. Many people, including current and former patients as well as senior leaders and stakeholders, have shared stories of their experiences with the service and how we have…

I would say this is good news, but u-turning on a decision that should never have been taken is not good enough. All this episode has done is reveal the underlying disregard for staff and their wellbeing. Practitioner Health is an outstanding service.

An extraordinary response in less than 24 hours, over 7000 signatories to the letter about the decision to defund NHS Practitioner Health for secondary care staff. The strength of feeling is huge, this is such a valuable service! Amanda Pritchard please intervene.

Over 3000 signatories in less than 6 hours.

This is a service that's saved multiple NHS doctors from suicide.

Why aren't you listening, Amanda Pritchard, Victoria Atkins, NHS England?

Why don't you care?

Do you really think so little now of those pandemic 'heroes'???

Now over 4000 signatories. We are coming out to support NHS Practitioner Health because it works.

On a plane the guidance is to put your oxygen mask on before helping others.

This service for many of us has been our life and career saving oxygen mask - allowing us to help others.

This is incredibly short sighted. Dr Qureshi from Practitioner Health made all the difference when I was in the depths of a depressive relapse last year. I hate to think where I'd be without that support.

This plan will not only increase staff sickness - it will risk lives.

NHS England has withdrawn funding for the mental health support provided by NHS Practitioner Health to secondary care staff.

This is deeply concerning, at a time when 'mental health support for NHS staff is needed now more than ever.' Dr Roman Raczka

👉 bps.org.uk/news/bps-respo…

.Matt Hancock Matt, we have disagreed on a lot of things you did in office, but one huge lasting achievement of yours was expanding the services of NHS Practitioner Health after we met early in your tenure. This saved doctors’ lives. Now, the service is being destroyed and (1/2)

NHS Practitioner Health is a vital service.
We save lives.
We keep staff in the workforce.
We provide expert care to allow NHS staff to care for their patients.
Secondary care staff need us more than ever & we hope for a positive outcome.
#NHSPH Dr Rachel Clarke Adam Kay

The decision to stop Practitioner Health makes me think- either it's intentional to make NHS even more unworkable; or there's a lack of genuine understanding, or wilful blindness, to psychological needs- stiff upper lip.

Either way it's depressing & good to see a TON of pushback

Funding for Practitioner Health for hospital doctors is set to be stopped from Monday - and we're calling for the decision to be urgently reversed.
dauk.org/news/2024/04/1…

This is devastating. A fabulous service that offers excellent support.

Important service update.

Signed ✅

Natalie Silvey Laura Kuenssberg NHS Practitioner Health Victoria Atkins Laura Kuenssberg there are countless doctors like me who have benefited from this service

This is about supporting the lives, health & careers of health professionals,

But also, about providing safe patient care
Because evidence shows that burnout adversely affects patient outcomes

Without my excellent GP and NHS Practitioner Health I don’t think I would have been able to go back to work, finish my training and become a consultant. And I did that with far better mental health which continues to this day.

This decision is a disaster. A huge step back.

This is terrible news. I sought help from NHS Practitioner Health when I was crippled with anxiety a year after the first wave of COVID. The support was incredible, and helped me get back to work in a much better place.

NHS England - is the mental health of staff not a priority?

I am so proud of the 32000 doctors/dentists/nurses/paramedics/and others who have sort our help. Please support us now. But we will, and I promise, do everything we can to restore normal services. Lucy Warner NHS PracHealth 💙 😷

Largest cohort of doctors/dentists with addiction (>80% remain abstinent at 5 years f/u = best of more cohersive US PHP), & largest cohort of dr/dentists with bipolar disorder (and yes, they can work safely). We get >75% who are not at work at presentation back = >600/yr.