Medical mental health and suicide prevention charity Doctors in Distress is launching two new series of weekly support groups for medical professionals, thanks to a £25,000 donation from Wesleyan Foundation.
The first series will focus on providing support for doctors and dentists experiencing long Covid.
The sessions – which began in September and will run for 10 weeks – will give participants the chance to join small groups to share their experiences of long Covid and receive advice from guest speakers on how to support their mental health through their illness.
The second series will provide emotional and psychological support for international medical graduates (IMGs) working in the UK – a demographic that currently comprises more than half of new UK registrations with the General Medical Council (GMC).
Starting from the 17th October, this series will give participants the chance to hear from other IMG doctors, including Dr Ananta Dave, Chief Medical Officer of NHS Black Country ICB & President of the British Indian Psychiatric Association, on their experiences as IMGs.
They’ll also receive practical guidance on topics ranging from navigating the ‘cultural quirks’ of living in the UK to financial management – including a session led by a Specialist Financial Adviser from Wesleyan Financial Services.
Both series will be hosted on Zoom and will be free to join:
- Those interested in the long Covid series can register here.
- Those interested in the 10-week IMG series can register here.
“As a mutual, our promise to our customers’ is to advise, support and help provide peace of mind where we can. Doctors in Distress provides invaluable help for doctors and IMGs successfully settle into their roles and we’re incredibly proud to be able to support them.”
Ann Paul, CEO, Doctors in Distress, said: “NHS staff are hugely committed to their patients and their colleagues. But they need help too. They suffer from the same illnesses, worries and concerns as the people they treat but they often don’t feel they can access the support they need.
“Our work aims to drive cultural change so that doctors can easily and openly seek this assistance and start to offer some aid in our own way.
“These sessions will provide a forum for these important discussions in a welcoming, open environment. We’re encouraging all who are interested to sign-up and come along.”
Doctors in Distress aims to improve mental health and prevent suicide among health workers – providing mental health support across the UK through confidential, professionally-facilitated, peer support groups.
The charity was founded in 2018 by Amandip Sidhu after the tragic death of his brother, Dr Jagdip Sidhu, who took his own life after working to the point of burnout. Dr Sidhu didn’t feel he was able to ask for help.
Wesleyan Foundation is the charitable arm of Wesleyan, which specialises in providing financial support to doctors. It helps support great causes that are important to Wesleyan’s members and the communities in which they live and work.