THE Isle of Wight NHS Trust has questioned new figures showing a rise in staff mental health absences.

The figures, obtained by Legal Expert, reveal 1,921 staff absences for mental health reasons since 2021, with numbers climbing each year.

The increase coincides with the closure of mental health and wellbeing hubs, set up in 2020-21 to support NHS workers during the pandemic.

Legal Expert suggests that these closures have left a big gap in support for NHS workers, leading to more absences.

(Image: Legal Expert) According to the data, 495 staff members took a day off for mental health reasons in 2021/22.

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This increased to 573 in 2022/23 and rose again to 658 in the past year.

However, the Isle of Wight NHS Trust questioned the study's findings.

A trust spokesperson said: "The wellbeing of our staff is very important to us and this report does not give an accurate picture or comparison.

"During this period, the trust was the only integrated acute, ambulance and community, mental health and learning disabilities team in the country.

"Figures from other trusts were for their acute workforce.

"For our acute workforce, the number is notably less — an average of 408 people, or 15.5 per cent."

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The spokesperson added that time off for mental health reasons may not always be work-related, and could be due to personal challenges, including bereavement.

The trust states it supports staff to take the time needed to recover, whether for mental or physical health needs.

They have several assistance schemes and initiatives in place to support staff, including a care ambassador programme, an employee assistance programme with access to counselling services and wellbeing support, a listening ear service, pastoral and chaplaincy support, and occupational health.

A recent poll by NHS Charities Together revealed that three out of four NHS staff have experienced poor mental health in the past year, mainly due to pay and workload issues.

In a statement, NHS Charities Together said: "Faced with the responsibilities of saving lives, high workload, long and unsociable hours and exposure to traumatic events, it’s no surprise that many NHS staff are struggling with their mental health."

The Royal College of Nursing found pay to be the biggest source of dissatisfaction among nurses.