HILLINGDON
GP VTS
SUPPORT
Trainee Wellbeing
Resources to help maintain your mental health and well-being during training. If you're in immediate danger, contact emergency services. For urgent mental health support, access confidential 24/7 services. This page also provides links to online resources, financial support, and apps to help manage stress, improve work-life balance, and promote overall wellness.
Immediate Help
If you are in immediate risk to yourself or others, then you should contact 999 or attend your nearest Emergency Department/A&E as soon as possible.
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You can access confidential, free & immediate/24 hr support for urgent psychological or mental health difficulties/distress via:
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Shout 85258 24/7 text messaging support service. Text ‘FRONTLINE’ to 85258
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BMA 24/7 Counselling service for doctors: Call 0330 123 1245
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Samaritans: Call free on 116 123
Wellbeing and Mental Health resources
Practitioner Health: Free, confidential NHS mental health and addiction service for doctors and other healthcare professionals.
http://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/
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Resilient Practice: Resources and approaches aimed at supporting resilience and wellbeing in healthcare professionals.
https://www.resilientpractice.co.uk/
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BMA Counselling and Peer Support: Free, confidential 24/7 counselling and peer support for doctors and medical students.
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/your-wellbeing/wellbeing-support-services/counselling-and-peer-support-for-doctors-and-medical-students
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NHS England learning resources: NHS England learning resources on recognising, preventing and managing stress and mental health difficulties at work.
https://london.hee.nhs.uk/stress-mental-health-and-wellbeing-home
E-learning, Support and Self-Review Modules: NHS England resources covering personal effectiveness, work-life balance, workplace relationships, stress and conflict.
https://london.hee.nhs.uk/professional-development/e-learning-support-and-self-review-modules
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Understanding and managing your emotions: A guide and toolkit for Health and Care Professionals by NHS Practitioner Health: NHS Practitioner Health booklet and practical self-help guide for health and care professionals, providing tools and strategies to understand, manage and respond to difficult emotions.
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Free apps for NHS staff
You will usually need to use your NHS email to sign up.
An up-to-date list can be found:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/supporting-our-nhs-people/support-now/wellbeing-apps/
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Mental health platform to help with stress, sleep, coping, and nutrition.: https://nhs.unmind.com/signup
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For work/life balance, home/family life and parenting: https://www.worklifecentral.com/
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Mindfulness and meditation: https://www.headspace.com/nhs
Money Advice and Financial Wellbeing
MoneyHelper – Money Problems and Mental Wellbeing: Free guidance on managing money difficulties, debt and the impact financial problems can have on mental wellbeing.
https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/budgeting/money-problems-and-poor-mental-wellbeing
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NHS England Financial Wellbeing: Free financial wellbeing resources and access to independent money guidance for NHS staff.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/supporting-our-nhs-people/support-now/financial-support/
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Financial Assistance for Doctors
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Doctors Help: Helps doctors and their families identify medical charities that may provide confidential financial assistance, grants or loans.
https://doctorshelp.org.uk/
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Cameron Fund: Provides financial support, grants, loans and money advice to GPs, GP trainees and their dependants experiencing financial hardship.
https://www.cameronfund.org.uk/
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Royal Medical Benevolent Fund (RMBF): Provides financial help and support to doctors and their families experiencing hardship.
https://rmbf.org/get-help/help-for-doctors/
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BMA Charities: Provides financial assistance to doctors and medical students experiencing financial difficulty.
https://bmacharities.org.uk/get-help
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Professional Support Unit (PSU)
The Professional Support Unit (PSU) is a free service primarily dedicated to supporting the progression of postgraduate training for NHS healthcare professionals. They can offer confidential and impartial support or advice for those who need it. These include psychological support services as well as courses, conferences, support for dyslexia and specialist linguistic services for doctors who have English as an additional language.
They accept self-referrals and the information you share on your application form is not accessible to or routinely shared with anyone involved in your training or employment.
You can self refer to this service which offers a range of services depending on trainee’s individual needs.
Practitioner Health
You also have free and confidential access to NHS primary care mental health and addiction service with expertise in treating health professionals.
