The NHS employs 1.5 million people, and NHS England spends over £4bn on education and training, the single biggest health education and training budget in the world. This includes anticipating global workforce shortages and ensuring the right mix of skills and roles. The NHS plans its workforce nationally to meet the needs of an ageing population, increasing complexity, and rapid technological change. Staff burnout is at crisis point.

Prior reviews have reported on the dire consequences of public health emergencies for frontline health workers, with the most severe impacts often observed in lower-income countries where health systems are fragmented and where there are few protections in place for frontline health workers (16). Both doctors and nurses perceived a greater level of overload related irritability than the other healthcare workers. Further, sex-aggregated case data collated by the UN show that more than 70% of COVID-19 infections in healthcare workers in the USA, Italy and Spain are in women (54). Perhaps left with no other choice than to adapt as best as they can to ensure the continuation of their obligations and services, many health workers have experienced elevated psychological distress, burnout, and increased risk of mental illness (47). When healthcare workers quit, or when they are tragically lost to suicide, they take many years of invaluable training and experience with them. Ethical dilemmas e.g., (24, 25) and moral injury e.g., (26, 27) are other issues that healthcare workers are faced with while providing care within challenging healthcare contexts.

Data Availability Statement

Findings underscore that MHWs worldwide report being significantly impacted by the pandemic in a variety of work‐related and personal outcomes, as summarized below. A further study reported symptoms of peri‐traumatic distress above normal ranges (Miller & Grise‐Owens 2022). One study also reported a sense of panic in MHWs during the rapid transition to telehealth due to the lack of regulations, such as which platforms to use and billing issues (Shklarski et al. 2021). Increased worry amongst MHWs was reported by three studies (Bentham et al. 2021; Gao & Tan 2021; Langdon et al. 2021). However, it was also reported psychiatrists exhibited lower COVID‐19 anxiety than physicians of other specialties (Jokić‐Begić et al. 2020). One study also found psychiatrists and psychologists exhibited higher levels of anxiety than nurses and other health professionals (Csigo & Ritzl 2021).

Essential Health Screenings for Construction Workers: Building a Healthier Workforce

Findings suggest that targeted, well-designed mental health‒focused interventions have the potential to lead to significant improvements in mental health outcomes among health care workers. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide information from evidence-based literature describing mental health interventions that have been evaluated within health care populations and to evaluate the quality of those interventions. Targeted, well-designed mental health interventions can improve outcomes among health care workers. Faced with rising demand for mental health and substance use services coupled with shortages of nurses, especially those prepared with specialized mental health skills, ICN developed a report to assist governments, policy makers, nursing associations, nursing educators, and workplaces to review and develop the mental health nursing workforce. Search terms included both MeSH headings and free terms contained in the title or abstract related to MHWs, mental healthcare settings and the COVID‐19 pandemic (see Supporting Information for the full search algorithms). Caring for patients experiencing mental illness during the COVID‐19 pandemic, whilst facing ongoing changes to service provision, staff shortages and a reported increase in demand, placed significant additional burden on the mental health workforce.

• Work can be a protective factor for mental health, but it can also contribute to worsening mental health.
• Additionally, many frontline health workers in lower income countries are predominantly women, and are therefore typically at the bottom of health system hierarchies, leaving them with limited autonomy and at elevated risk of burnout (16).
• Lack of social support and communication, maladaptive coping, and lack of training are important risk factors for developing negative psychological outcomes across different types of disasters (63).
• Moreover, fostering a culture of respect and inclusivity within healthcare settings can significantly enhance the mental well-being of health workers, enabling them to thrive in their roles.
• As HR Heads, Project Managers, or Health & Safety Officers, your workforce is your most critical asset.
• Support for your entire workforce, wherever they are in their mental health journey

While effective prevention and treatment https://www.unmc.edu/newsroom/2021/04/26/town-hall-topic-supporting-wellness-in-health-care-colleagues/ interventions exist, most people living with mental health conditions do not have access to these. The guidance provides a clear framework to transform mental health services in line with the latest evidence and international human rights standards, ensuring quality care is accessible to all. In some countries, up to 90% of people with severe mental health conditions receive no care at all, while many existing services rely on outdated institutional models that fail to meet international human rights standards. Organisations can help combat workplace loneliness by actively ensuring staff can form healthy long-term relationships with their co-workers. There is a range of resources available to support staff to ensure they are prioritising their mental health. Decreased emotional wellbeing among staff can contribute to increased mental health and stress concerns.

The study also concludes that in order to enhance positive emotions and weaken negative emotions of healthcare professionals, the workers’ needs ought to be prioritized in any practice (91). Since the risk of moral injury can be high when faced with a heavy workload, stressful environments, limited equipment or difficult choices, especially during times of public health emergencies, it is a topic worth more attention and interventions from the leadership of health and care organizations. Unfortunately, no measures to prevent burnout or other mental health issues will be effective unless attention is paid to enhancing a positive work environment, defined as one “that attracts individuals into the health profession, encourages them to remain in the health workforce and enables them to perform effectively to facilitate better adaptation” (89). As mentioned, we also know that physicians and other healthcare providers may be hesitant to seek mental healthcare, often due to concerns about confidentiality and its potential impact on their careers (39). This should also involve leveraging existing evidence-based interventions for alleviating psychological distress in public health emergencies. For some, practicing self-care and being able to debrief with colleagues will be enough, while for others who might be traumatized or who experience high levels or stress, anxiety or depression, stronger measures, and opportunities for professional support over time will be needed.