Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the mental health support services available to NHS staff in response to the covid-19 outbreak.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, we have increased health and wellbeing support for National Health Service staff including a mental health helpline, access to free wellbeing apps and specialist bereavement and psychological support. In addition, an extra £30 million is being invested to enhance occupational health services and to establish mental health hubs which will offer outreach and assessment services to help frontline staff receive rapid access to evidence based mental health services. We are also supporting the development of a national support service for critical care staff.