Useful Links

Useful links

 Sources of support for Doctors with health or personal issues  can be found beneath the General section.

General

Independent sources of support for Doctors with health or personal issues

  • Addaction
    Addaction is a major national drug and alcohol treatment charity in the United Kingdom
    www.addaction.org.uk
  • Alcohol Recovery Project
    The Alcohol Recovery Project exists to provide quality services for those with drink with drink-related problems and their friends and families
    www.foundation66.org.uk
  • BMA Counseling Service and Doctors Advisory Service
    tel: 08459 200169
    For help, counseling and personal support just call 08459 200 169, and you will be given the choice of speaking to a counselor or the details of a doctor-adviser who you can call directly. www.bma.org.uk/practical-support-at-work/doctors-well-being/about-doctors-for-doctors
  • British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy
    The BACP website provides a facility which enables one to search for a therapist in someone’s area who might be able to help with whatever problems are presented.
    www.bacp.co.uk/
    tel: 01455 883300
    e: bacp@bacp.co.uk
  • Clinicians' Health Intervention, Treatment and Support
    CHITS exists to promote a consistent, effective response to substance misuse problems among professionals throughout the UK
    e: avoca@birdsgrove.freeserve.co.uk
  • Contact
    Contact is a confidential and independent support and stress management scheme for doctors and dentists in the West Midlands region that was set up in 1995. The service offers free telephone and face-to-face counselling. The service is not 24 hours but there is a 24-hour answering machine where a contact number can be left and the doctor will be called back.
    tel: 0121 558 0278
  • Depression Alliance
    Depression Alliance is the leading UK charity for people affected by depression, offering help to people with depression, run by sufferers themselves. Their website contains information about the symptoms of depression, treatments for depression, as well as Depression Alliance campaigns and local groups.
    tel: 020 7633 0557
    www.depressionalliance.org
  • Doctors Support Network
    Provision of ongoing confidential advice and support to doctors with mental health problems. All calls are dealt with by doctors.
    www.dsn.org.uk
  • Eating Disorders Association
    The EDA helplines are for people who wish to talk about eating disorders and to obtain information about help available in their locality.
    adult helpline: 0845 634 1414
    e: helpmail@edauk.com
  • GMC ethical guidance http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/index.asp
  • International Stress Management Association
    The International Stress Management Association exists to promote sound knowledge and best practice in the prevention and reduction of human stress.
    tel: 0700 780430
    www.isma.org.uk
  • The Manic Depression Fellowship
    The Manic Depression Fellowship is an organisation and registered charity for people whose lives are affected by manic depression. It aims to enable people affected by manic depression (bi-polar) to take control of their lives through its services.
    tel: 020 7793 2600
    e: mdf@mdf.org.uk
     www.mdf.org.uk
  • The Mental Health Foundation
    The Mental Health Foundation provides the latest news and events on mental health issues, as well as information on problems, treatments and strategies for living with mental distress.
    tel: 020 7802 0300
    e: mhf@mhf.org.uk
     www.mentalhealth.org.uk
  • MIND
    Mind is the leading mental health charity in England and Wales. It works to create a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress.
    MindinfoLine: 0845 766 0163
    e: contact@mind.org.uk
     www.mind.org.uk
  • Narcotics Anonymous
    NA is a non-profit, international, community based organisation for recovering addicts that's active in over 60 countries. NA members learn from one another how to live drug free and recover from the effects of addiction in their lives.
    www.ukna.org
    e: helpline@ukna.org
  • National Phobics Society
    NPS is a national registered charity providing support for those affected by anxiety disorders.
    helpline: 0870 7700 456
    e: nationalphobic@btconnect.com
     www.phobics-society.org.uk
  • Relate
    Relate is the UK's largest and most experienced relationship counselling organisation helping people to work through their relationship difficulties and reach their own decisions about the best way forward.
    tel: (lo-call) 0845 456 1310 or 01788 573241 
    www.relate.org.uk/
  • Samaritans
    Samaritans is available 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.
    tel: 08457 90 90 90
    e: jo@samaritans.org
     www.samaritans.org
  • SANE
    SANELINE offers practical information, crisis care and emotional support to anybody affected by mental health problems.
    tel: 0845 767 8000 (from 12 noon to 2am)
  • Sick Doctors Trust
    Provision of early intervention and treatment for doctors suffering from addiction to alcohol or other drugs
    www.sick-doctors-trust.co.uk
  • Stressline
    Stressline is a company based in the North of England. Working with individuals and organisations to minimise stress through its comprehensive service.
    tel: 0113 258 5515
    e: info@stressline.co.uk
     www.stressline.co.uk
  • Take Time
    Take Time is a wholly confidential service specifically for junior doctors and dentists in the Yorkshire Deanery needing help with work-related and personal difficulties which may cause anxiety, stress, depression and unhappiness.
    tel: 0113 343 4642
    e: taketime@leeds.ac.uk
  • Doctors Support Network
    Provision of ongoing confidential advice and support to doctors with mental health problems. All calls are dealt with by doctors.
    www.dsn.org.uk
  • BMA Charities
    A group of charities established to help all doctors and their families in times of need
    tel: 020 7383 6142
  • British International Doctors Association
    BIDA aims to protect and promote the interests of overseas doctors, by highlighting the problems they face and by developing policies on the health care of ethnic minorities.
    tel: 0161 456 7828
  • British Medical Association
    The BMA is the professional association and trade union for doctors in the United Kingdom.
    tel: 020 7387 4499
    email the BMA here: info.web@bma.org.uk
    Go to the website here: www.bma.org.uk
  • Carers UK / Carers Online
    Carers UK is the leading organisation representing the UK's 5.7 million carers.
    tel: 020 7490 8818
    fax: 020 7490 8824
    carersline: 0808 808 7777 (Weds/Thurs 10-12 / 2-4).
    email Carers UK here: info@carersuk.org
     www.carersuk.org
  • Citizens Advice Bureaux
    Citizens Advice Bureaux give free, confidential, impartial and independent advice on a limitless range of subjects, including debt, benefits, housing, legal matters, employment, immigration and consumer issues. Bureaux are open to everyone regardless of race, gender, sexuality or disability.
     www.citizensadvice.org.uk
     www.adviceguide.org.uk
  • Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans of the United Kingdom
    COPMED holds all the name and addresses of postgraduate deans and training programme directors in the UK.
    tel: 020 7692 3197
    e: copmed@copmed.org.uk
     www.copmed.org.uk
  • Cruse Bereavement Care
    Cruse Bereavement Care offers free information and advice to anyone who has been affected by a death; provides support and counselling one to one and in groups; offers education, support, information and publications to anyone supporting bereaved people; increases public awareness of the needs of bereaved people through campaigning and information service
    www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
  • Dial UK  Disability Information, Disability Rights, Disability Policy
    Registered charity offering local disability information and advice services.  www.dialuk.info/
  • Gamblers Anonymous
    Gamblers Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who have joined together to do something about their own gambling problem and to help other compulsive gamblers do the same.
    tel: 08700 50 88 80
    www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk
  • Medical Defence Union (for MDU members only)
    For MDU members, the union provides expert help and advice on medico-legal and ethical matters including handling complaints, claims and GMC cases. It is staffed by a team of medico-legal advisers.
    Go to the website here: www.the-mdu.com
  • Medical Forum
    The Medical Forum provides career guidance programme for those who are thinking about a change in career direction.
    tel: 07000 7901 7318
  • Medical Protection Society (for MPS members only)
    The MPS, staffed by medico-legal advisers exists to protect the professional interests of members.
    Go to the website here: www.mps.org.uk
  • Medical Womens Federation
    The MWF represents the interests of women doctors to government and national bodies, bringing together women trying to advance their medical careers.
    tel: 020 7387 7765
    e: admin.mwf@btconnect.com
    www.medicalwomensfederation.org.uk
  • Mencap
    Mencap is the UK's leading learning disability charity working with people with a learning disability and their families and carers.
    tel: 020 7454 0454
    e: information@mencap.org.uk 
    www.mencap.org.uk
  • Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Mentoring Scheme
    The scheme is aimed at those obstetricians and gynaecologists who have been experiencing difficulties in relation to their work. The mentors are Fellows or Members of the College who have undergone mentoring training. The RCOG is able to provide mentors from a range of backgrounds and localities.
    tel: 020 7772 6369
    e:cdhillon@rcog.org.uk
     www.rcog.org.uk
  • Royal College of Surgeons Confidential Support and Advice Services for Surgeons (CSAS)
    CSAS offers a confidential telephone line as a point of personal contact between surgeons which is intended to offer a listening ear and will act as an informed signpost to appropriate sources of advice and support.
    tel: 020 7869 6030
    e: csas@rcseng.ac.uk
    www.rcseng.ac.uk
  • Royal Medical Benevolent Fund
    Depending on individual needs and circumstances, RMBF is able to provide grants, loans, information, advice, clothes parcels, payments to assist with domestic and financial crises or help with childcare and other costs.
    tel: 020 8540 9194
    e: info@rmbf.org
     www.rmbf.org
  • Royal Medical Foundation
    The Royal Medical Foundation, a medical benevolent charity assists UK medical practitioners and their dependants who find themselves in financial hardship.
    tel: 01372 821 011