Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

AnxietyDepressionNHSStressMental health conditions

Intensive care staff could leave profession if not given mental health support

by Ashleigh Webber 16 Mar 2021
by Ashleigh Webber 16 Mar 2021 Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com
Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com

Half of staff working in intensive care units will need psychological support in order to deal with the trauma of watching thousands of patients die during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a charity.

The Intensive Care Society suggested that many ICU staff could leave the profession if they do not receive substantial mental health support.

Research from King’s College London in January found that 45% of ICU staff in England suffered severe anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health concerns following the first wave of Covid-19 last year. One in five nurses and one in seven clinicians working in ICU reported thoughts of self-harm.

Mental health in the NHS

Nurses call for any NHS return to ‘normal’ not to overlook wellbeing

Four in 10 intensive care staff experiencing PTSD

ICS president Stephen Webb suggested that the second wave of infections and the resulting increase in ICU bed utilisation would have hit health workers’ mental health particularly badly, “knowing that they have to go through it all again, knowing the stress that it caused the first time”.

“This pandemic is the greatest crisis we’ve seen in a century,” he told the Guardian. “There is a danger that we will lose further staff in the future. We know there’s a risk of people falling ill, wanting to leave – not just intensive care but healthcare completely.”

In a report published last month, the ICS warned that the intensive care workforce, including those who have supported from other specialties, will become more fatigued and stressed, with the risk of long term psychological harm and mental health concerns, if they are not given time to take their leave opportunities and recuperate.

“Many staff are reporting moral distress working outside of [recommended] ratios and staff turnover is increasing, therefore reintroduction of pre-pandemic staff standards is fundamental to wellbeing and productivity and to preventing psychological harm,” it said.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The 2020 NHS staff survey, published last week, showed that 44% of NHS staff felt unwell because of work-related stress last year, compared with 40.3% a year earlier. Increases in stress levels were sharpest in acute community trusts and acute specialist trusts.

NHS England has revealed plans for 40 “mental health hubs” for health workers, which will offer staff access to confidential advice from mental health clinicians, therapists, recovery workers and psychologists.

Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is a former editor of OHW+ and former HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support.

previous post
Judgment in ‘sleep-in’ wages case expected Friday
next post
Half on furlough report deterioration in mental health

You may also like

One in eight senior NHS managers from black...

1 Jul 2025

Welfare cuts would ‘undermine workforce inclusion and business...

27 Jun 2025

Supporting employees through substance abuse

24 Jun 2025

With HR absence rising, is your people team...

24 Jun 2025

Barts nurse told to remove watermelon image claims...

19 Jun 2025

Number of new nurses from abroad falls by...

18 Jun 2025

Overseas dentists ‘working in McDonald’s’ due to backlog

18 Jun 2025

One in four young workers rate mental health...

17 Jun 2025

Spending Review: ‘Much-needed’ cash but ‘little on workforce’

11 Jun 2025

CIPD Festival of Work: ‘Wellbeing is not an...

11 Jun 2025

  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today