Professional Organisations

Professional Organisations

There are many support services available for doctors based in Wales. Your local Occupational Health Department will often be able to direct you to local services and provide support. We have listed some other useful resources below:

Health for Health Professionals (HHP) Wales Service

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 Royal College of General Practitioners

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.