Health and Wellbeing at Work

Within the School of Psychiatry, we recognise that the last few years have been challenging working in the NHS.

We are also aware of the additional pressures that come with working as a Postgraduate Doctor in Training, balancing the pressures of working and undertaking professional qualifications with family life, the pressures from rotas and filling gaps to support service provision at short notice, the frequent moves training brings in organisations and team relationships, with the impact of covid reducing opportunities to meet and share experiences with peers.

The School of Psychiatry, and its trainers take wellbeing seriously.  All trainers will want to provide you with support in your job, so please do bring up pressures and concerns that are affecting your wellbeing in your regular supervision sessions with clinical supervisors.  Educational Supervisors and Training Programme Directors are also happy to talk if you feel there is a conflict in discussing concerns within your placement.

As healthcare professionals it is important to look after our own health, and a range of support options are available.

In addition to support from your GP, as Doctor’s we can self refer to Practitioner Health.  This is a primary care led mental health assessment and treatment service established to care for NHS professionals and has over 12 years’ experience providing care to health professionals with mental health problems, including problems with addiction. They have a network of clinicians (GPs, Psychiatrists and mental health nurses) and therapists across England who are able to offer care and treatment for a range of mental health issues.  Doctors can self refer via this link;  Accessing the Service for NHS Workforce (practitionerhealth.nhs.uk)

As NHS staff, you can also access a number of wellbeing apps through practitioner health, including Headspace, SilverCloud, Liberate and Unmind. https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/wellbeing-app

A range of services are open to Postgraduate Doctors in Training through the Lead Employer, St Helens and Knowsley Trust.  Their website Wellbeing page has links to helpful resources.  Lead Employer – STHK | Wellbeing Support

A referral to their Health, Work and Wellbeing Department can be made by emailing leademployer.casemanagement@sthk.nhs.uk or via this link https://leademployer.sthk.nhs.uk/wellbeing-referral-form .

The Lead Employer also operates an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which provides a 24/7 confidential helpline which you may wish to use. The helpline

provides staff advice, information & counselling service that covers a range of areas including legal, financial, family, stress and work. The EAP can be contacted by phone on 0300 131 2067. There is also online access via Vita Health – Hub (my-eap.com), access code: STHKWELL.

A range of other support services are also available and are outlined below.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Support

Doctors Support Network  – The Doctors’ Support Network – Home page (dsn.org.uk)

Doctors Support Network are a confidential peer support network for doctors and medical students with concerns about their mental health.  They provide a an online, confidential, anonymous Support Forum.  They also have a list of other useful resources.

Frontline 19- Free and confidential service for frontline workers – Frontline19

This service has a network of qualified psychological practitioners offering free & confidential Psychological Support Service for people working in the NHS & frontline services in the UK to support mental health problems associated with work related stress.

Doc Health –  https://www.dochealth.org.uk/

A confidential, not for profit, psychotherapeutic consultation service for all doctors. The 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. It is supported by the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund (RMBF).

Find a Therapy website – Looking for a local therapist? | Find a Therapy

Talking therapy can help us mange difficult feelings, process difficult experiences and make changes to support our wellbeing.  Many Doctors undertake personal therapy over their careers including in training.  If you are interested in finding a therapist, the above website provides a directory.

Samaritans  – Samaritans | Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy | Here to listen

Samaritans is a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week service, who provide listening support for anyone struggling to cope.  They can support in a moment of crisis and to prevent crisis when people are struggling.

They can be contacted on 116 123 for free.

They also offer other forms of connection including email contact and self-help app support.  Self-Help | Samaritans

Support around investigations and complaints

Doctors Support Group – https://doctorssupportgroup.com/

The DSG aims to assist doctors and dentists around investigations into their practice and the enormous stresses and difficulties they may face alongside this. Members of the DSG come together for regular meetings and provide support for those facing suspension, exclusion, investigation of complaints and/or allegations of professional misconduct

Addictions support

Sick Doctors Trust – http://sick-doctors-trust.co.uk/page/about-the-trust

The Sick Doctors Trust was established in 1996 by a group of doctors who were themselves recovering from addictions and were concerned about the lack of effective arrangements for helping others who found themselves in difficulty as a result of alcohol or drug use. They also support with GMC hearings. They are happy to talk to colleagues or members of the family of a doctor who is experiencing problems and will suggest appropriate help.

British Doctors and Dentists Group – http://www.bddg.org/

The British Doctors and Dentist Group is a mutual/self-help group of doctors and dentists who are addicted to alcohol and/or drugs who are living, or wish to live, in a recovery programme free of alcohol and drugs. There are around 800 members in the UK meeting in 18 active groups. Most meet monthly for support and to discuss alcohol and drug related problems to maintain sobriety, and to offer help to doctors and their families.

Neurodiversity Support

Information around assessment, support and adjustments available through the Lead Employer for Postgraduate doctors with neurodivergence are available at leademployer.sthk.nhs.uk .  This includes assessment for Dyslexia.

Financial Support and Advice

Royal Medical Benevolent Fund – https://rmbf.org/

The RMBF provides support for doctors and their families through all stages of their career and beyond. Their 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.

Additional financial support resources are available on Lead Employer website – Lead Employer – STHK | Wellbeing Support

Bereavement

For those who have been affected by a sudden bereavement and need support The Good Grief Trust, advice, directory of resources and guidance via phone on 0800 2600 400 or thegoodgrieftrust.org

You can also find bereavement support, advice and guidance from Cruse at https://www.cruse.org.uk/ or via 0808 808 1677 (not 24/7).

Caring Support

If you care for another person, it can feel difficult to take time to look after yourself. Access stories of people’s experiences of caring, tips for your own mental health and where to find support at https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helping-someone-else/carers-friends-family-coping-support/ or the Mind helpline on 0300 123 339

Domestic Violence Support

Refuge offers a National Domestic Helpline for free confidential advice, 24 hours a day on 0800 20000 247.

Other resources and support are available at  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help

Addictions Support

Sick Doctors Trust – http://sick-doctors-trust.co.uk/page/about-the-trust

The Sick Doctors Trust was established in 1996 by a group of doctors who were themselves recovering from addictions and were concerned about the lack of effective arrangements for helping others who found themselves in difficulty as a result of alcohol or drug use. They also support with GMC hearings. They are happy to talk to colleagues or members of the family of a doctor who is experiencing problems and will suggest appropriate help.

British Doctors and Dentists Group – http://www.bddg.org/

The British Doctors and Dentist Group is a mutual/self-help group of doctors and dentists who are addicted to alcohol and/or drugs who are living, or wish to live, in a recovery programme free of alcohol and drugs. There are around 800 members in the UK meeting in 18 active groups. Most meet monthly for support and to discuss alcohol and drug related problems to maintain sobriety, and to offer help to doctors and their families.

Continuing to improve Health and Wellbeing at Work in School of Psychiatry

We also have an active wellbeing workstream looking at how we can reduce stressors and improve wellbeing across the rotation.  So far this has focussed on developing clearer guidance for your training, ensuring availability of trainee focussed core psychotherapy training, increasing peer networking opportunities, increasing educational supervision, and ensuring consistent support when you are involved with adverse incidents in your working lives.  If you are interested in being involved, please contact john.stevens@merseycare.nhs.uk .