Doctors’ mental health reaches crisis point

Recently released figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown that in England in the four years between 2011 and 2015, a total of 430 health professionals took their own lives.

Currently, the only confidential service which offers a range of mental health assessments, treatment and case management, is run by the NHS Practitioner Health Programme (PHP). However, health professionals can only self-refer to the PHP without informing their clinical commissioning group (CCG) if they work within London.

Others are able to access the service, but by informing their CCG, they lose their anonymity.

Dr Clare Gerada, PHP’s medical director, said “Doctors are at an incredibly high risk for mental illness. Female doctors have up to four times the risk of suicide in comparison to people in the general population.”

Dr Gerada believes that acknowledging that health professionals have mental health problems is “the last taboo in the NHS”. She went on to say that the lack of confidentiality is a barrier and wants the London approach to be extended to any doctor within England who needs support.

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence compensation claims, and have obtained substantial compensation for our clients. Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

Posted by Karen Motley, Paralegal, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (karenmotley@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Freephone : 0800 304 738