A sharp increase in the number of midwives seeking mental health support could be down to the impact of the Lucy Letby case, according to a charity.

The Laura Hyde Foundation said there are concerns the Letby trial “tarred many excellent midwives with the same brush” leading to them “being suspected of negligible and criminal behaviour, often without any evidence”.

The charity received 3,074 calls from midwives in 2023, up 119% from 1,402 in the prior 12 months.

Former nurse Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill another six at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016.

As a charity we are concerned the Letby trial tarred many excellent midwives with the same brush and has sadly led to many midwives finding themselves being suspected of negligible and criminal behaviour, often without any evidence

In August, she was sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison.

Liam Barnes, chairman of The Laura Hyde Foundation, said the level of staff seeking support has “risen dramatically across all sectors – but the rise is especially stark among midwives”.

“In fact we are supporting the largest number of midwives in our history right now,” he added.

“There are likely to be many reasons for this, including the Lucy Letby case. As a charity we are concerned the Letby trial tarred many excellent midwives with the same brush and has sadly led to many midwives finding themselves being suspected of negligible and criminal behaviour, often without any evidence.

“Understandably, this often causes significant distress to the individual, their colleagues and their family. Our services are needed more than ever and we need more funding and support from the government to deliver the right interventions.”

One midwife told the charity the Letby case “cast a black cloud over the entire midwifery service”.

“The reality is the majority of midwives in the NHS are incredibly hard-working and we sweat blood and tears for our patients and their babies,” she added.

“But all too often we are facing an uphill battle because services are so stretched which can have a knock-on effect on morale. In some hospitals where friends of mine work it’s been at rock bottom for a while now.”

Last year, The Laura Hyde Foundation was contacted 11,119 times by emergency service workers, up from 7,288 in 2022 and 5,422 in 2021.

More than half – 5,815 – said they had experienced suicidal thoughts or harmed themselves.

There was an increase among calls from nurses, with 3,334 calls from members of the profession compared with 2,176 in 2022.

I have witnessed many conversations with healthcare staff saying they are exhausted

More medical students and doctors also approached the charity for help last year, it said.

Mr Barnes added: “We are seeing a swell of people struggling to deal with a number of items such as the cost-of-living crisis, a post-Covid grieving process as well as abhorrent abuse aimed at them from the public or indeed their own management.

“Our emergency services workers are people that often do the work for the simple love of helping people, a cornerstone of our NHS.

“Given their relatively low pay and long working hours, it is their unwavering desire to try and help people that gives them their job satisfaction and then that is questioned, it often has dire consequences.”

Gemma Clay, 39, a nurse and clinical doctorate fellow at the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, said the figures do not come as a surprise.

“I have witnessed many conversations with healthcare staff saying they are exhausted.

“There are many reports of bullying in the workplaces which organisations need to be addressing especially in the NHS.

“It’s shocking how many are impacted by workplace bullying. I have seen an increase in nursing staff looking at taking early retirement or some leaving nursing altogether due to the impact work is having on their mental health.”