Wesleyan Foundation collaborate with Doctors in Distress to protect the mental health and stop suicide in healthcare workers. The funding provided helps to achieve the following objectives:
- Promote and protect the mental health of healthcare professionals
- Reduce stigma around mental health in the health sector
- Promote a duty of care by employers for the mental health of health workers
- Develop and provide initiatives and interventions to promote & protect the mental health of health professionals
Ann Paul, Doctors in Distress CEO, comments: "This year, thanks to support from the Wesleyan Foundation, Doctors in Distress will focus our support for specific groups that we know are in more urgent need of support.
"In 2022, we focussed our support for specific groups that we know are in more urgent need of support. Continuity of care is extremely important and for that reason, we will be offering further support for International Medical Graduates, a new creativity programme for doctors. The most important thing for IMGs is to build community, and the new programme will build reflective spaces where IMGs can come and talk about the issues that they are facing as IMGs in the UK, both practical and emotional."
Nathan Wallis, Chief of Staff at Wesleyan, said: "Many of our customers are medical professionals and we know that they are under huge pressures right now. On top of the day-to-day whirlwind of patient care, those arriving from overseas have their own particular challenges as they are faced with a complex and confusing healthcare system.
"As a mutual, our promise is to provide specialist advice, to increase wellbeing and help give our customers the peace of mind they deserve. Doctors in Distress provides invaluable help for doctors supporting their mental health and wellbeing and we’re incredibly proud to be able to support them through our Wesleyan Foundation.
"Over the past 15 months, Doctors in Distress has run a number of creativity programmes for healthcare workers. These have proved to be very popular, from expressive writing to whittling, they have provided healthcare workers with a space to reflect and engage with a new creative skill which in turn supports their wellbeing."
International Medical Graduates Programme
The 8-week programme will combine reflective spaces where IMGs can come and talk about the issues they are facing as IMGs in the UK, both practical and emotional, and a wellbeing walk.
- Start date: Thursday 25th May 2023
- End date: Thursday 20th July 2023
- Frequency: Weekly, Thursdays at 12.30-1.30pm
Reflective Spaces Restorative Creativity Groups
Two 4-week sessions in the first half of the year (May-June) and repeated in the second half of the year (September-October):
Doctors Creativity Programme 1
- Start date: Tuesday 23rd May 2023
- End date: Tuesday 20th June 2023
- Frequency: Weekly, Tuesdays at 12.30-1.30pm
All groups will be conducted online in a confidential safe space with a qualified facilitator. Participants can also look forward to one in-person walking group session for the IMG Programme.
To express your interest in joining or if you have any queries, please email Doctors in Distress.