UK food banks bring in counsellors and private GPs to help exhausted workers

Volunteers at the Trussell Trust are being offered mental health support and face-to-face appointments with GPs. Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian

Britain’s food bank charities are buying in counselling, GP and mental health support services to help staff and volunteers cope with stress and exhaustion triggered by the explosion in demand for emergency food.

The wellbeing services are a response to a rise in burnout and stress among frontline food bank workers as they deal with expanding workloads and the emotional burden of supporting increasing numbers of destitute and emotionally traumatised clients.