NHS Practitioner Health Programme (formerly GP Health) Practitioner Health is a free, confidential NHS service for doctors and dentists including trainees across England with mental illness and addiction problems, who are working or looking to return to clinical practice. The service can help with issues relating to a mental health concern, including stress or depression or an addiction problem, particularly where these might affect work. The service is provided by health professionals specialising in mental health support to doctors and is available in various locations across England.
BMA Wellbeing Support Services – Confidential 24/7 counselling and peer support services open to all doctors and medical students (regardless of BMA membership), plus their partners and dependents, on 0330 123 1245. There is always someone you can talk to.
GP Support Hub – The Suffolk GP Federation has set up the GP Support Hub covering Suffolk and North East Essex. The Hub is an easy way for GPs to obtain confidential information, advice and support on career, personal development, and well-being.
DocHealth – A confidential, face-to-face psychotherapeutic consultation service for all doctors. Fees are based on a sliding scale relating to your grade and circumstances. Provided in partnership by the BMA and Royal Medical Benevolent Fund. DocHealth can cover costs for doctors in financial difficulty where appropriate. Phone: 020 7383 6533 Administrator’s normal working hours are Monday to Friday, 8.00am – 12.30pm. Email: enquiries@dochealth.org.uk
Sick Doctors Trust page 7 – Provides support and help for doctors, dentists and medical students who are concerned about their use of drugs or alcohol. A confidential helpline is available 24 hours a day on 0370 444 5163.
Looking After You Coaching Communications Toolkit – NHSE are keen to support primary care staff to stay well, recognising the additional pressures and challenges that the winter period brings. Please see their updated Looking After You coaching communications toolkit and promotional poster.
All the promotional resources can be downloaded here: www.bit.ly/LAYcomms
The toolkit outlines NHSE’s suite of support offers, why coaching is recommended, feedback from users, and highlights the many promotional resources that can be used, including bulletin copy and social media graphics.
NHSE encourage the support materials to be cascaded and shared widely amongst colleagues – over 8,000 staff have benefited from one (or more) of these services. If you have any further questions, please contact: england.lookingafteryou@nhs.net.
Additional support offers available for our NHS people can be found at: NHS England » Support available for our NHS people
Sudden Bereavement Support Pilot – About the offer The sudden passing of a friend or colleague can be a difficult and traumatic experience, which may be made harder to cope with given the pressures of continuing to run a busy general practice. This immediate support is funded by NHS England following the sudden death of a key practice member; such as a partner or practice manager whose impact on the practice is considered to be critical. The RCGP have selected a small team of advisers from our Primary Care Development programme and trained them to provide practical operational support and be a voice for the practice as they navigate a difficult and destabilising time. This work is supported by the mental health service provided by Practitioner Health. This support is provided at no cost to the practice. For more information, please click here. This link will take you to the relevant information on the RCGP website.
Wellbeing Resources
- GPC continue to encourage practices to focus on their own team’s wellbeing and take time to reflect on what can be done to protect it (this will also meet the requirements of QOF quality improvement project on staff wellbeing).
- GPC have produced a document which includes some tools for improving workload and safe working.
- A range of wellbeing and support services are also available to doctors, from the BMA’s counselling and peer support services, NHS practitioner health service, Samaritans, and Doctors in Distress.
- See also their poster with ten to help maintain and support wellbeing.
Peer Support Groups
Doctors’ Support Network – A confidential, peer support group for doctors and medical students with mental health concerns including stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, psychoses and eating disorders.
British Doctors and Dentists Group – A mutual help group for doctors and dentists who are recovering, or wish to recover, from addiction to or dependency on alcohol or other drugs.
The Doctors Support Group (DSG) aims to provide support and assistance to medical professionals or dentists facing suspension, exclusion, investigation of complaints and/or allegations of professional misconduct.
Disabled Doctors Network – This support network and website is aimed at chronically ill/disabled doctors, medical students, their colleagues, educators, trainers, and anyone else requiring information or support regarding inclusion in the medical professions as a person with a chronic illness or disability.
GLADD – GLADD is an organisation in the UK that unites and represents LGBT doctors from all over the UK. Membership to anyone who supports the values and constitution that GLADD stands for.
Financial Support
Cameron Fund – The only medical benevolent charity which solely supports GPs and their dependents, whether financial problems are due to ill-health, disability, death, or loss of employment. This includes both those who are already suffering from financial hardship and those who are facing it. Telephone: 0207 388 0796
BMA Charities – BMA Charities is committed to providing support to doctors and medical students who are in financial need.
Royal Medicine Benevolent Fund page 18 – The RMBF provides support for doctors and their families through all stages of their career and beyond. Our help ranges from financial assistance in the form of grants and loans to a telephone befriending scheme for those who may be isolated and in need of support. Telephone: 0208 540 9194
Royal Medical Foundation – The Royal Medical Foundation aims to assist doctors and their families who are in financial hardship. Telephone: 01372 821010
Help me, I’m a Doctor – This brings together five medical charities working and working NHS England offers confidential access to financial aid from a sole source.
Social Media Groups
There are many peer groups on Facebook that offer valuable advice and support to GPs. The forums are active, and topics cover clinical, management, career progression, job adverts, peer support etc. One will need to be signed up to Facebook to access the pages. Listed below are some of the more popular groups: GP Survival GP World Tiko’s GP Group Resilient GP