24
November 2025
Submission to the NHS 10 Year Workforce Plan
The NHS recently launched a call for evidence to inform its 10-year workforce plan, which aims to explore the skills, roles, and allocation of staff needed to deliver better care and support a sustainable health system.
In our evidence submission we emphasised that mental health social workers are a crucial part of that workforce. They bring a holistic, social approach to care, recognising that mental health is shaped by social factors – housing, relationships, employment, finances, and wider life circumstances. By addressing these factors, social workers help people stay well, prevent crises, and live independently in their communities.
As the NHS moves toward neighbourhood models of care, social workers are key to making them work. They help teams deliver joined-up support that responds to the full context of someone’s life – not just their symptoms.
Yet mental health social workers remain underrepresented, just 2% of the NHS mental health workforce. Without investment in training and sustainable career pathways, this vital workforce is at risk.
Our submission calls for:
- Recognition and investment in mental health social work.
- Inclusion in national workforce planning.
- Embedding social work in neighbourhood teams and community mental health services.
Mental health social workers are not optional, they are essential to building a workforce that meets people’s real needs and supports stronger communities.