Mental Health & Wellbeing Contacts for Doctors…..Where to Turn When You're Running on Empty

Published on 13 November 2026 at 17:50

“Who looks after the person who looks after everyone else?”

Did you see today's BBC News report on resident doctor burnout in obstetrics and gynaecology?  Are you a resident doctor?  The General Medical Council’s (GMC) national training survey indicates that 70% of O&G resident doctors are at moderate to high risk of burnout—the highest of any specialty—with one in three suffering regular sleep deprivation and feeling hesitant to escalate patient concerns to senior colleagues. But my experience of coaching resident doctors for wellbeing in the NHS for 8 years tells me that other resident doctors feel the pain too.  The BBC article makes for sobering reading, and it reflects what is happening across every corner of medicine.

As a burnout and wellbeing coach in NHS Wales I sat and continue to sit (in private coaching practice) with countless brilliant, compassionate doctors who doubt themselves and their sense of self, work through exhaustion and compassion fatigue, just keep on keeping on. When you spend your working life holding space for patients, navigating relentless rota gaps, and carrying heavy clinical responsibility, it is so easy to put your own wellbeing right at the bottom of the list.

I notice, as a coach, that when burnout creeps in, our world shrinks. Even finding the energy to look up a phone number or figure out where to go for help can feel like another impossible task on an already overflowing to-do list.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness…..it is an act of self-preservation.

To save you the energy of searching, I have pulled together the key mental health, deanery, and wellbeing contacts across the NHS, Royal Medical Colleges, and national support services into one place. Keep this list somewhere safe, share it with a colleague, and use it whenever you need it.

Immediate & Crisis Support

If you are in immediate distress or feel unsafe, please reach out straight away. You do not have to carry this alone.

  • Emergency: Call 999 or go to your nearest A&E if you are in immediate physical danger....yes, YOU - turn up at your local A&E - it demonstrates insight.
  • NHS Mental Health Services: Call 111 (select option 2) or use NHS 111 online to reach your local mental health crisis team.
  • Samaritans: Free, confidential emotional support open 24/7 on 116 123.

National & Cross-Specialty 24/7 Confidential Helplines

You do not always need to go through your specific college or trust to get confidential, clinical, or therapeutic support. These services are open to doctors across all specialties:

  • NHS Practitioner Health Programme: A free, confidential NHS mental health and addiction self-referral service for doctors and dentists. Call 0300 030 3300, email prac.health@nhs.net, or text NHSPH to 85258 for 24/7 crisis support. 
  • BMA Wellbeing Support Services: Free, 24/7 confidential telephone counselling and peer support open to all doctors and medical students (regardless of BMA membership) on 0330 123 1245. 
  • DocHealth: A confidential, non-profit psychotherapeutic consultation service for doctors across the UK, run jointly by the BMA and the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund. Email enquiries@dochealth.org.uk.
  • Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC): You can also browse the wider directory of specialty resources via the AoMRC Support for Doctors Directory.

Professional Support Units (PSU / PSW) for Resident Doctors

If you are a resident doctor (postgraduate doctor in training), your regional deanery has a dedicated Professional Support Unit (PSU) or Professional Support and Wellbeing (PSW) service. They sit separately from your ARCP and training progression panels, offering confidential coaching, exam support, career guidance, and return-to-training planning. 

Many regions allow you to self-refer directly without needing to go through your Educational Supervisor or TPD first: 

  • West Midlands: Self-refer via the West Midlands PSW Portal or email england.psw.mid@nhs.net / england.psu.wm@nhs.net.
  • East Midlands: Self-referral or trainer referral via the East Midlands PSU Page or psw.em@hee.nhs.uk.
  • North West: Confidential pastoral and wellbeing support via the North West PSW Service or england.psw.nw@nhs.net.
  • South West (Peninsula & Severn): Self-referral or supervisor referral via england.psw.sw@nhs.net.
  • East of England: Reach the team via the East of England PSW Service or PSW.EoE@hee.nhs.uk.
  • Wessex: Contact the team via the Wessex PSW Hub or PSW.WX@hee.nhs.uk.
  • North East and North Cumbria: Access occupational health and confidential coaching via the North East Trainee Support Service.
  • Yorkshire and the Humber: Access short-term local counselling and learner resources via the Yorkshire & Humber Learner Support Hub.
  • London & Kent, Surrey, Sussex (KSS): Self-refer directly through the London & KSS Professional Support Unit.
  • Thames Valley: Access confidential support and coaching via the Thames Valley PSW Team.
  • Scotland: Resident doctors can access confidential deanery wellbeing teams via the Scotland Deanery Support Page
  • Wales:  HEIW Professional Support Unit (Wales) offers support via their self-referral form
  • Northern Ireland:  NIMDTA Professional Support (Northern Ireland) offers support via their One to One Support Page.

Direct Wellbeing Contacts by Royal College

Most individual Royal Colleges also connect members with peer mentoring schemes, wellbeing hubs, and accredited external providers. Here is where to go for your specialty:

How burnout coaching can help

Clinical helplines and therapy are vital when you are in acute distress or need medical mental health care. Alongside—or after—that support, coaching offers something gently different.

Having spent eight years coaching NHS staff and doctors through burnout and trauma, I know firsthand that recovery isn't about adding another "self-care chore" to your week. It is about slowing down, taking a curious and non-judgmental look at what is draining you, and rebuilding from the ground up.

Coaching creates a quiet, confidential space to step away from the noise of the wards or clinic…..

  • Untangling the guilt around saying “no” and setting healthy boundaries.
  • Rebuilding self-trust when exhaustion has left you doubting yourself.
  • Rediscovering who you are outside of your clinical role and rota.
  • Making small, sustainable shifts that protect your energy without needing to overhaul your entire life overnight.

Ready to focus on your own wellbeing?

You spend your days caring for others, navigating complex systems, and showing up even when you are depleted. You deserve a space where the focus is entirely on you—with no expectations, no judgement, and no pressure to have it all figured out.

Whether you are noticing the early signs of exhaustion or trying to find your footing after a period of burnout, coaching can help you find clarity, calm, and a way forward that actually feels sustainable.

You don't need to wait until you hit a wall to ask for support. Perhaps the best time to pause and check in with yourself is today.

If you'd like to explore how burnout coaching could support you, feel free to get in touch via the Contact page to book an informal, no-pressure chat.

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