NHS Mental Health Absences Soar to Record Eight Million Days
NHS staff were absent from work due to mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, and depression for a staggering eight million days last year, according to newly released figures. This represents a record high and highlights a deepening crisis within the health service.
Staff Sickness Skyrockets Amid Mounting Pressures
The NHS in England lost a total of 28 million days to staff sickness in 2025, a significant increase from 21 million days in 2020. This marks the highest level of absenteeism ever recorded. Alarmingly, more than one in four of these days—approximately 7.9 million—were attributed to psychiatric illnesses, including anxiety, stress, and depression.
The number of sick days taken by NHS staff due to poor mental health has surged by 42 per cent since 2020, raising broader concerns about the nation's approach to mental wellbeing in the workplace. Since records began in their current form in mid-2019, the health service has lost 151.6 million days to sickness, meaning 6 per cent of all working days were lost to poor health. This rate is three times higher than the average across all sectors.
Impact on Patients and Waiting Lists
Health bosses are struggling to cope with the rocketing absences, which have left patients 'languishing on waiting lists'. The crisis is compounded by industrial action, with resident doctors staging another walkout today in pursuit of a 26 per cent pay rise, leading to further cancellations and delays for patients.
Last year, the NHS lost 262,592 days to industrial action by resident doctors, following strikes organised by the British Medical Association in July, October, and December. At the end of January, NHS England reported that approximately 7.25 million routine treatments were waiting to be carried out, affecting 6.13 million patients.
Taxpayer Concerns and Management Criticism
Callum McGoldrick, investigations campaign manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance, which analysed the NHS England sickness data, expressed shock at the scale of the issue. 'Taxpayers will be utterly stunned by the sheer scale of working days lost within the NHS,' he said. 'While genuine illness is unavoidable, absence rates have soared to record highs year after year, costing the public billions and leaving patients languishing on record waiting lists.'
McGoldrick added, 'Hard-working Britons in the private sector, who foot the bill for the health service, will be asking why NHS management seems completely incapable of keeping its own workforce healthy and on the job. Health bosses must urgently get a grip on this crisis. Every day lost is a day that should have been spent cutting the backlog.'
Health Leaders Respond to the Crisis
Rory Deighton, acute director at The NHS Alliance, which represents healthcare organisations, noted the concerning rise in staff sickness days. 'It's very concerning to see that staff sickness days are increasing, including a rise in days lost to mental health,' he said. 'Health leaders are doing all they can to ensure a supportive workplace environment in often-challenging circumstances.'
Deighton pointed to several contributing factors:
- The pressures from the pandemic and its aftermath, which have placed an extraordinary burden on staff.
- Delivering increasingly complex care amid a relentless rise in demand.
- The tough financial climate within and beyond the NHS.
- Uncertainties posed by reform and potential redundancies.
He emphasised, 'Staff are looking for coherence and hope from the Government in its approach to the health and care workforce. The forthcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan is a real opportunity to provide this.'
Government and NHS Initiatives
A Department of Health spokesman stated that the upcoming plan will 'ensure every member of staff feels supported, valued and able to thrive in their role.' The spokesman added, 'NHS staff have faced extraordinary demands, including covering sustained periods of industrial action, while continuing to deliver for patients. This Government is committed to making the NHS a better, healthier place to work as part of its 10 Year Health Plan—further strike action only makes that harder.'
In a related development, new laws passed by the Government mean employees are now entitled to sick pay from their first day in a job, a change that took effect yesterday. This policy shift aims to provide greater financial security for workers facing health issues.
The combination of record mental health absences, industrial action, and growing waiting lists underscores the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to support NHS staff and improve patient care across the country.
