Scotland to provide health staff with mental health support

Health and social care professionals in Scotland will have access to a new specialist service offering confidential mental health assessment and treatment.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announced that the Workforce Specialist Service will be delivered by experts with experience in treating a range of issues such as stress, anxiety, depression or addiction, with a focus on the impact this may have on a person’s work.

The announcement forms the latest part of a package of resources available to the Scottish health workforce, including the National Wellbeing Hub, the National Wellbeing Helpline and specific psychological services provided by health boards at a local level.

Freeman said: “We are doing our best to support health and social care staff to ensure that they have the resources they require to look after themselves, and that they can get the help they need at an early stage. This is especially important given the challenges of responding to the pandemic in the past year. We know that some health and social care professionals can find it difficult to access mental health or addictions services due to concerns about receiving a confidential service or the professional implications of seeking support.

“Our Wellbeing and Mental Health Network offers a broad package of wellbeing and mental health support that is available for all health and social services staff, their families and unpaid carers and volunteers. The Workforce Specialist Service is the most comprehensive of its kind in the UK and has been established to ensure that people who access the service are afforded maximum confidentiality. We have worked closely with the professions regulators to ensure appropriate agreements are in place.”