Figures obtained by Legal Expert found that NHS trusts around the country have seen 267,320 staff absences due to mental health reasons since 2021, with figures rising in the past year.

In 2021/22, the number of staff at NHS trusts who took a day off for mental health reasons stood at 87,807.

A year later, this number dropped to 85,268, which is the lowest number of staff absent over the three-year period.

The past year has seen an increase in staff absences due to mental health issues, standing at 94,245.

In addition, a recent poll conducted by NHS Charities, shows three out of four NHS staff have experienced poor mental health in the past year, suggesting that issues around pay and workload have resulted in a number of mental challenges.

NHS Charities Together said: ‘Faced with the responsibilities of saving lives, high workload, long and unsociable hours and exposure to traumatic events, it's no surprise that many NHS staff are struggling with their mental health.'

Legal Expert also obtained the figures on the specific mental health reasons that staff members gave for their absence.

Based on figures gathered from NHS trusts across the country, the most common mental health issues that NHS staff face are anxiety, depression and stress.

Pressures inside the NHS have become so severe that the equivalent of a week off work was taken by every single one of the health service's 350k nurses last year due to stress, anxiety and depression, analysis of new NHS England data shows.