Government says 8,500 more mental health staff recruited for NHS in England; BPS urges retention focus

The government has announced that an extra 8,500 mental health workers have been recruited to the NHS since the end of June 2024, with new staff now in post across NHS trusts and community health services in England. Officials said the intake includes therapists, mental health nurses and support staff, part of efforts to strengthen services under sustained demand.

The roles are deployed across hospital and community settings in England. Responding to the announcement, the President of the British Psychological Society, Dr Roman Raczka, called the recruitment drive "a hugely positive step in the right direction" and noted it had taken place "since this Parliamentary term began." But he cautioned that hiring alone will not fix the system.

"Any increase in recruitment must be matched by targeted action on retention, workload, supervision and career progression. If this isn't implemented, any new staff are at risk of leaving the workforce," he said.

Dr Raczka added that continued expansion of the mental health workforce should remain a government priority "if we are to reduce mental health waiting lists and ensure people receive the support they need and deserve." He said that only then would the aspirations of the NHS 10-Year Health Plan have "a realistic chance of becoming a reality." With more than 1.7 million people currently on waiting lists, he warned there were "seemingly few signs of improvement" and that the pressure on services remained "all too real."