Professional
New wellbeing hub developed to support NHS staff during COVID - expert support helplines, Apps, webinars and resources available
“The NHS Practitioner Health Programme is an award winning, free and confidential NHS service for doctors and dentists with issues relating to a mental or physical health concern or addiction problem, in particular where these might affect their work.”
A London-based service, check the website for access and availability.
PHP-HEE London provides an initial face to face assessment followed by short term interventions for doctors and dentists in training in London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex with mental health and/or addiction issues
BMA Counselling and Doctor Advisor service
“BMA Counselling is staffed by professional telephone counsellors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They are all members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and are bound by strict codes of confidentiality and ethical practice.
The Doctor Advisor service runs alongside BMA Counselling giving doctors and medical students in distress or difficulty the choice of speaking in confidence to another doctor.
If you wish to use the service call 0330 123 1245 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week”
“Any doctor, you don't have to be a BMA member, where a complaint has been made to the GMC can ask for support from the Doctor support service. Support is available from when a complaint is made until the outcome of the case. Doctors unable to talk with family or supportive colleagues may find the service particularly useful. Support is available from when a complaint is made until the outcome of the case. Unrepresented doctors or doctors with health problems may find the service particularly useful.”
“DocHealth is a new confidential, not for profit, psychotherapeutic consultation service for all doctors. The pilot service is delivered by Consultant Medical Psychotherapists based at BMA House in London. Although located in London the service is open to all doctors in the UK. For doctors living a considerable distance from London we are able to offer, after the initial face-to-face consultation, further consultations by skype. It is supported by the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund (RMBF).”
DSN is a confidential peer support network for doctors and medical students with concerns about their mental health. We aim to raise awareness, reduce stigma and influence the agenda regarding physician health.
Website www.dsn.org.uk
Nurses
Cavell Nurses' Trust provides support to UK nurses during difficult times. They offer help to registered nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants, and retired nurses. They also help student nurses in exceptional circumstances.
www.cavellnursestrust.org/get-help
Nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants
The Blue Light Infoline offers confidential, independent and practical support, advice and signposting around mental health and wellbeing. The Infoline is just for emergency service staff, volunteers and their families, to help keep you or those you care about well for work.
http://mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/campaigns/bluelight/blue-light-infoline
Pharmacists
A range of support services for those currently registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council or those who have been on the register in the past. Includes an online-chat service.
www.pharmacistsupport.org/who-we-help/pharmacists
General
This video is about the Dr Rose Polge Award by Medic Footprints, which was won in 2017 by Tea & Empathy. Rose was an F1 Doctor in Torbay who ended her life in 2016. Her tragedy has inspired the creation of Tea & Empathy, a peer to peer support network on Facebook whose aims are to create a more compassionate NHS and to reduce the stigmatisation of struggling healthcare professionals
The "Tea and empathy” facebook page is at:
https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/1215686978446877/1240661685949406/
“Talk to us any time you like, in your own way, and off the record – about whatever’s getting to you. You don’t have to be suicidal.
Whatever you're going through, call us free any time, from any phone on 116 123.
We're here round the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you need a response immediately, it's best to call us on the phone. This number is FREE to call. You don't have to be suicidal to call us.
Please don’t suffer alone.”
The Zero Suicide Alliance (ZSA) is a collaboration of National Health Service trusts, charities, businesses and individuals who are all committed to suicide prevention in the UK and beyond. We are an alliance of people and organisations coming together around one basic principle: Suicide is Preventable
The ZSA is ultimately concerned with improving support for people contemplating suicide by raising awareness of, and promoting, FREE suicide prevention training which is accessible to all.
24 Hour domestic abuse helpline: T: 0808-2000-247
The Helpline can help you find a refuge vacancy for you and your children; call us for more information.
We can also support you to find other specialist services in your community, which can provide support whether or not you have left your partner.
If you do not qualify for legal aid, a solicitor may be able to take on your case as part of their pro bono work.
Pro bono work is free legal help for people who:
- cannot afford to pay for legal services and
- do not qualify for legal aid
PSU Dyslexia screening and assessment - Specialist dyslexia coaching arranged by IST following post-assessment meeting
Action on hearing loss - Help for lifechanging hearing loss or tinnitus
UK Professionals with hearing loss - Professional exchange of information
Association of disabled professionals
British Dyslexia Association - Helping people with dyslexia to reach their potential
Deaf Professionals Network - Network to share experiences
Disabled living foundation helpline - Advice about disability equipment & mobility products
Hope 4medics - Support group for doctors with disabilities
Mencap - Help for people with disabilities, their families and carers
PSU eLearning, Support & Self-Review Modules - CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW
Reflective Writing, Professional Boundaries, Conflict & Undermining in the Workplace,
Stress, Mental Health & Wellbeing in the Workplace, International Medical Graduates & EU
Doctors, Prescribing, Record Keeping, Clinical Incidents, Medicines Management, Insight,
Professionalism, Personal & Professional Effectiveness, Resilience, Examination Support
PSU AKT Workshop
Support for GP trainees having difficulty passing AKT
PSU CSA Workshop
Support for GP trainees having difficulty passing CSA
“Fourteen Fish – pass the AKT
Resource for AKT preparation for GP trainees (one-off payment)
BMJ eLearning
For BMA members or by subscription
Includes modules on resilience, emotional intelligence, bullying & harassment,
assertiveness, negotiating and influencing, managing pressures in medical school &
foundation
Electronic Library for Health (eLFH)
Includes modules on bullying, assertiveness, conflict etc
Bar Pro Bono Unit
Charity helps to provide free legal advice from volunteer barristers
BMA Law
For BMA members
Doctor Support Service
Provided by the BMA for all doctors undergoing GMC investigation
Practitioner Health Programme/Trainee Doctor & Dentist Support Service (PHP/TDDSS)
Anxiety UK
Help for people with anxiety disorders
BEAT
Eating disorders
Bipolar UK
Help for bipolar sufferers & their families & carers
DocHealth
Confidential, not for profit, psychotherapeutic consultation service doctors (provided by
previous “MedNet” team)
Doctors Support Network
Confidential self-help group for doctors with mental health concerns
GP Health Service
Confidential Service for GPs and GP trainees provided by PHP
Mental health foundation
News, events & information
Mind
Support for anyone with a mental health problem
Sane
Practical information, support and crisis care
There is a paper here https://academic.oup.com/occmed/article/doi/10.1093/occmed/kqaa052/5814939 that gives 5 points for clinicians to prevent moral injury.
I quite like this article written by an army nurse giving clinicians advice from an army point of view on moral injury: https://www.statnews.com/2020/04/01/lessons-different-war-protecting-clinicians-moral-injury/
https://psychiatry.ucsf.edu/coronavirus/coping#f - defines and gives principles of avoiding/negating the effects moral injury
Managing mental health challenges faced by healthcare workers during covid-19 pandemic (BMJ) here:
https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m1211.full?ijkey=Il18pprCDUiMW3R&keytype=ref
Other Sources of peer support for UK based doctors include:
Autistic Doctors International
CamDocUK(Association of Cameroonian Doctors in the UK)
APPNE ( Association of Pakistani Physicians of Northern Europe)
BAPIO (British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin)
Home (acmedicalmentors.co.uk) (Afro Caribbean Medical Mentors)
Disabled Doctors' Network (DDN)
GLADD (Gay & Lesbian Doctors and Dentists Association)
MANSAG (Medical Association of Nigerians across Great Britain)
Key Resources (The Trauma Group)
This article is quite nice on how to prevent trauma becoming PTSD. It's not reinventing the wheel but would be relevant to PTSD https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/how-prevent-trauma-becoming-ptsd
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/post-traumatic-stress-disorder
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/
See RCN Trauma Therapy Flyers in Downloads
PSU Specialist Clinical Communications & Linguistics Service
One-to-one communications sessions - Support for developing skills in having difficult conversations with colleagues, patients &
carers
PSU Courses and Conference
Including assertiveness & resilience
Clinic for Boundary Studies
Training and other services for professionals facing difficulties relating to professional
boundaries, ethics, conduct and career challenges
Marriage Care
Help with marriage & family relationships
National Family Mediation
Not for profit family mediation services
Relate
Counselling for relationship difficulties
Women’s Aid
Support for domestic violence
Association of Anaesthetists – Wellbeing & Support
Information & guidance on wellbeing for anaesthetists
Confidential Advice & Support for Surgeons
Confidential telephone helpline for surgeons
Royal College of Psychiatrists Mental Health Page
Information & fact sheets
Psychiatrist’s Support Service, Royal College of Psychiatrists
Confidential support & advice helpline
PSU careers unit
One-to-one careers coaching
Supported Return to training
For trainees returning to training after an absence for any reason
Fit for work - Occupational Health guidance - CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW
PSU advice on using Occupational Health Services
NHS Health careers
Information on careers in health
Medical Women’s Federation
Representing the interests of female doctors
Using Human Factors 'Dirty Dozen' to respond to Covid 19 (NSW Clinical Excellence Commision)
Pandemic Kindness Movement (NSW Agency fro Clinical innovation)
Accessing mental health services: NHS Choices
Coronavirus & your wellbeing (MIND)
Creating a 10-minute pause space (PeopleNHSUK)
Domestic Abuse Links (NHS Employers)
Five steps to Wellbeing (NHS UK)
Five things to focus on - Guy Winch (Psychologist)
How to cope with Loneliness during Corona Virus (Very well mind/Maudsley Learning)
Living with Anxiety amongst global uncertainty (Psychology Tools)
Psychological care for Healthcare workers (Nottingham University)
Weathering the Storm: What Have you got in your doctor's bag? (RCPsych)
Mental wellbeing during Covid19 modules via '10minute CBT'
