Angela Hillery CEO joins NHS Providers parliamentary webinar | Our latest updates

Angela Hillery CEO joins NHS Providers parliamentary webinar

NHS Providers parliamentary webinar on impact of mental health during Covid-19

NHS Providers is a membership organisation of NHS hospitals, mental health, community and ambulance services.

NHS trusts providing mental health and learning disability services are playing a critical role, both to maintain services and to respond to the current environment alongside their colleagues in the acute, community, ambulance and primary care sectors. While the main public, media and political focus has been on the impact of COVID-19 on hospitals, it is important to put the spotlight on what is happening in other parts of the NHS frontline. 

Key issues that have been raised in Parliament include the Mental Health Act, availability and funding of mental health services, mental health of health and care workers, and the increase in demand for mental health services as a result of lockdown, particularly amongst vulnerable groups, young people elderly and BAME communities.

As a result a parliamentary webinar was held on 14 July 2020 to discuss the impact of mental health due to Covid-19.  Angela Hillery, Chief Executive of NHFT and LPT and co-chair of mental health network NHS Providers took part in the discussions.  Angela was joined by Melanie Walker, Chief Executive of Devon Partnership NHS Trust and also co-chair of mental health network NHS Providers and Saffron Cordery, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Providers.

The discussions covered how Covid-19 has seen a decline in patients attending GP surgeries as well as a huge reduction in A&E attendance and use of ambulance services due to people’s fear and anxiety around catching or spreading the virus.

However it is clear that for a number of reasons including fear, anxiety as well as bereavement from people affected by Covid-19 deaths, there would be an increase in demand for mental health services.

Angela confirmed initially NHFT did not see an impact on referrals and there was reduced demand on our beds but this has been short-lived.  NHFT is now seeing an increase on both our beds and new people with their first experiences of psychosis which is significant to the increase and demand of using mental health services.

Whilst the increase and seeing new patients was expected there is still a concern on the health and inequalities of those people we haven’t seen yet that are not known to services.  Angela stated that the male working age population and the younger generation of children and young people will be significantly impacted. 

Throughout the pandemic we have continued to keep Crisis Cafes open across the county of Northamptonshire which is a valuable resource and so important for the users.

How staff have mobilised during these unprecedented times has been exceptional.  They have faced many challenges during the pandemic and have adapted to working differently, always ensuring the access to services for our patients as well as supporting our acute colleagues.

Digital working and platforms has helped tremendously during the pandemic through keeping staff  connected with patients so appointments could continue in a safe environment.  It is also important staff keep connected with their colleagues.  We have seen this in true teamNHFT style with the camaraderie in checking in on others on a regular basis.

A main focus of teamNHFT is the health and wellbeing of our staff and by utilising the digital channels we have been able to host a week-long virtual wellbeing festival for our staff and systems leaders across the county.  It was ambitious, innovative in hosting such an event but the outcome has led to staff feeling valued through using the many different taster wellbeing activities.

Another focus for NHFT is how we share and learn together.  In the East Midlands region we have formed an alliance with mental health and learning disability organisations to further learn and share what can we do differently, innovate and discuss demand and capacity too – it’s the right thing to do.

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