Support Services for GPs

The support services detailed below are aimed at General Practitioners.

Practitioner Health Service

www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk

Formerly known as the GP Health Service, Practitioner Health is a free, confidential NHS service for doctors and dentists 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, in particular 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.

The rates of mental illness in doctors are higher than those of the general population and in addition to this, healthcare professionals face a number of barriers to accessing healthcare. Concerns about confidentiality of the service often prevent doctors accessing services through their own GP.

Guidance on how to access the service is given on the website above.

BMA

www.bma.org.uk/advice/work-life-support/your-wellbeing

The BMA has a range of services available to all practitioners, not just members and include support when doctors are facing GMC investigation.

The website links to other organisations who provide a range of support services including bereavement, finances, relationships, equal opportunities and counselling.

Tel: 0330 123 1245 (24hrs)
Email: wellbeingsupport@bma.org.uk

BMA Charities

https://bmacharities.org.uk

BMA Charities is an independent charity supported by the BMA which provides financial support for doctors, medical students and doctors’ dependents.

It’s main areas of activity are supporting medical students doing medicine as a further degree, and refugee doctors in all four home nations.

Tel: 020 7383 6142

Doctors Support Network

www.dsn.org.uk

Peer support for doctors and medical students experiencing mental health issues. The group has an online support forum and a presence on social media.

Tel: 020 7383 6142

The Samaritans

www.samaritans.org

Support for any concerns. The website includes a wide range of resources and links to other services.

Tel: 0116 123 (24 hour availability)
Email: jo@samaritans.org response time within 24 hours

Wellbeing – The Active Faith Network

Active Faith Network is offering additional help with phone chaplaincy for those experiencing bereavement.

A dozen ministers have offered to contact people, listen to them, offer prayer if wanted.

You can refer someone by emailing their name and phone number to sian@lincoln.activefaithnetwork.com

Or pass on the following phone number 01522 370148.

The Sick Doctors Trust

http://sick-doctors-trust.co.uk

Established in 1996 by a group of doctors who were themselves recovering from addictions and were concerned at the lack of effective arrangements for helping others who found themselves in difficulty as a result of alcohol or drug use.

British Doctors and Dentists Group

http://www.bddg.org/ ​​​​​​​

A recovery group for doctors and dentists addicted to drugs and or alcohol.

DOCHealth

www.dochealth.org.uk ​​​​​​​

DOCHealth is a confidential, not for profit, psychotherapeutic consultation service for all doctors. Although located in London the service is open to all doctors in the UK. For doctors outside London we offer, after an initial face-to-face session, ongoing video consultations.

Royal Medical Benevolent Fund.

www.rmbf.org ​​​​​​​

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.

The website has an excellent section on Health and Well-being, including sections on maternity issues, tax ,career options etc.

The Doctors Support Group

www.doctorssupportgroup.com ​​​​​​​

The Doctors Support Group (DSG) aims to provide support to any medical professional or dentist facing suspension, exclusion, investigation of complaints and/or allegations of professional misconduct:

Where the Group feels that major management decisions adversely affecting the doctor’s career have been inappropriate, disproportionate or unreasonable.

Or where the doctor is suffering from severe psychological problems that could be life threatening – whatever the causation.

The Cameron Fund

https://www.cameronfund.org.uk/ ​​​​​​​

The Cameron Fund – “The GP’s own charity” – is a benevolent fund which provides support to GPs and their families in times of difficulty.

Tel: 020 7388 0796

Financial Wellbeing Support Offer

Don’t forget that we are working with the Money Advice Service to provide all health and social care staff with free and independent financial support. We have a variety of offers that you are able to access or signpost colleagues to who may need this support:

1. Support line: Free and impartial money advice
2. Online support: Hub of Resources
3. Virtual interactive events: Managing Your Money

If you need support now, you can contact the Money Advice Service for free, confidential and impartial money advice…

Tel: 0800 448 0826
WhatsApp: 07701 342 744
WebChat:  Money Advice Service

The Lincolnshire Mental Health Helpline

This is a joint initiative across health, social care and the third sector, is available 24/7 and can provide emotional support, advice and guidance if you are feeling low, anxious or stressed, and think you might benefit from speaking to someone.

By calling 0800 001 4331 you can speak to a member of a highly trained and experienced team of support workers who will be able to provide appropriate support.

Since its launch most of the calls received by the helpline have been about mental health, anxiety, loneliness, depression, or social isolation, with 25% of callers contact the helpline daily for support.