During a Public Accounts Committee session on "Readying the NHS and Adult Social Care in England for Covid-19, James questioned NHS England on how they are looking after the mental health of NHS staff and the wider population.
He referred to experiences that nurses and doctors at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn had shared with him about treating patients with Covid-19 and the impact on staff and their families.
Sir Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England referred to steps that are being taken to offer support. He confirmed that although the NHS People Plan has been delayed initiatives on mental health continue.
In response to questions about the impact of lockdown on individuals, he also revealed that the NHS will be fast tracking some of the new mental health services given an expected increase in demand from patients.
The National Audit Office report that the PAC took evidence on is available at https://www.nao.org.uk/report/readying-the-nhs-and-adult-social-care-in…;
