A campaign is aiming to save the Lancashire and South Cumbria Resilience Hub after the government ceased funding.

The service was set up in 2020 to offer psychological support to those who worked on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more: Sir Lindsay Hoyle visits Lancashire Resilience Hub to mark pandemic achievements

But the Resilience Hub – which has helped over 1,100 individuals and numerous teams and services – has now stopped taking referrals ahead of the funding ending later this month.

A national petition to save 40 mental health hubs across the country has reached over 32,000 signatures.

A spokesperson for the campaign told Blog Preston: “Lancashire Resilience Hub has done great work in treating NHS staff who are burnt out and exhausted since the pandemic.

“The service is treating people who still love the profession but who have developed PTSD, anxiety and depression from what they have endured over the past few years.

“As a result, we have seen people treated and continue to work in the NHS in Lancashire and South Cumbria.”

The spokesperson said the closure comes at a time when the need for the Resilience Hub is growing.

They continued: “National statistics data for 11 of the 40 mental health hubs shows that 2,800 staff currently being treated will be left with no services beyond March.

“Most of these hubs have seen a significant increase in demand from October 2021 to 2022 with an average rise of 72 per cent.

“If the closure goes ahead it will leave thousands of NHS staff without this crucial mental health support.”

A statement from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) says the Resilience Hub “has paused for referrals while options are explored to sustain a future version of the service”.

Rob Cragg, Chief People Officer for Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, and James Fleet, Chief People Officer for the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “We acknowledge the difficult few years our NHS staff have been through due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which the Resilience Hub was established in direct response to. 

“Our dedicated staff are our greatest resource, and their mental health and wellbeing is a priority for us. Each organisation continues to provide ongoing health and wellbeing services, support and guidance for all staff.

“We are working together along with colleagues at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, to explore future options which will allow us to continue to offer an enhanced mental health and wellbeing service. We want to do this in a way which is sustainable and will support our NHS colleagues across the whole of Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Staff across the patch can continue to receive health and wellbeing support through various initiatives, details of which are available on the LSCFT wellbeing website.

Rob Cragg continued: “While the Resilience Hub is currently closed to any new referrals, I would like to assure everyone currently receiving care that they will remain on their care pathways.”

The petition can be viewed on 38 Degrees.