Tory Government promising jam tomorrow when action is needed today to tackle the staffing crisis in mental health – Keeley

Barbara Keeley MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Mental Health, commenting on Health
Education England’s Mental Health Workforce Strategy, said: 

“Once again this Tory Government is
promising only jam tomorrow, when what is needed is action
today to tackle the staffing crisis in mental health. The workforce plan
provides no real answers on how these new posts will be funded or how
recruitment issues will be overcome. And it offers little hope to those working
in the sector faced with mounting workloads, low pay and poor morale.

“Time and again the Tories have been warned that severe staffing
shortages are affecting patient care. Only this month the Care Quality
Commission highlighted staffing levels, in particular the cuts to mental health
nurses, as a contributing factor to 40 per cent of mental health services now
failing on safety grounds. 

“A Labour Government will provide the investment needed to recruit
and train staff with the right skills to deliver the mental health
services patients need and deserve. We will legislate for safe staffing,
reinstate nurse bursaries, lift the one per cent pay cap for NHS staff
and ring-fence mental health funding to make sure it reaches
the frontline.”