HHP Wales is a face to face counselling service for all doctors in Wales.  It provides doctors with access to a British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) accredited therapist in their area.  The service is confidential and is fully funded for doctors in Wales by the Welsh Government.  If you wish to use this service call 0800 058 2738 (9am-5pm, Monday to Friday; calls are free from landlines but calls from mobiles may be charged).

If you need to speak to someone out of hours (between 5pm and 9am weekdays and weekends) please telephone the BMA counselling service on 0845 9 200 169 or go to www.hhpwales.co.uk  to find information on a comprehensive range of services available for all doctors across the UK.  You do not have to be a member of the BMA to use the service.

If you contact HHP Wales a doctor advisor will ring you back within 24 hours to discuss your concerns.  If the doctor advisor thinks the counselling service can meet your needs, they will put you in contact with an accredited BABCP therapist to provide you with support.  You can then contact the therapist directly.  The doctor advisor may also suggest other services that may be of help.

Please note that HHP Wales is only for counselling and cannot provide legal advice, an advocacy service or represent doctors at tribunals or GMC hearings.  HHP Wales is not an emergency service.

The RCGP provide some excellent resources including “Where to get help” which includes an online course, offering advice on stress management, alcohol, nutrition, exercise and substance misuse.

They also have an excellent “GP wellbeing section” which includes a toolbox of notecards, designed to help doctors through the range of emotions and lifestyle changes they may be experiencing at this time as well as individual coaching service to provide support to all clinical and non-clinical primary care staff through video link or telephone with experienced coaches. They provide links to external resources here.

The BMA Wellbeing Support Services Counselling/Peer Support service is open 24/7 and any doctor or medical student can receive counselling and peer support.

The DSN is a fully confidential self-help group for doctors with mental health concerns.

Free and confidential 24/7 counselling and peer support services open to all doctors and medical students (regardless of BMA membership), plus their partners and dependents, on 0330 123 1245. There is always someone you can talk to.

You can access one-off support or, after triage, a structured course of up to six face-to-face counselling sessions, provided by the BMA’s existing accredited provider – Health Assured. All counsellors are members of the BACP and bound by strict codes of confidentiality.

A free webchat can be accessed here.