HEE • Medical Education across the East • Leadership across the East • Workforce Partnerships
National Services
If you have concerns about your training, it is important that you contact either your Educational or Clinical Supervisor immediately. This should be done in a formal setting.
If you are still not happy after having spoken to the ES or CS, you should contact the Training Programme Directors, the Deputy Director or the Director of Medical Education.
Other confidential support services available include:
Alcoholics Anonymous
British Medical Association (BMA)
The BMA offers support for employment, professional, ethical and personal matters. The doctors for doctors counselling service is available 24/7.
Tel: 08459 200 169
Tel: 01455 254 189
Tel: 0300 123 1233 (08.30 - 18.00 Mon - Fri)
For more details please click here.
The GMC has also commissioned BMA Doctors for Doctors to provide dedicated confidential emotional support to any doctor whose is under investigation by the GMC or in the license withdrawal process following non-engagement. This service is available to all doctors regardless of whether they are a BMA member. Doctors can access the service by calling 020 7383 6707 or email doctorsupportservice@bma.org.uk
In addition, The BMA has two charities which help all doctors, and their dependents, and medical students in times of financial crisis. The Charities are:
BMA Charities Trust Fund
This Fund offers grants to doctors and medical students who are in financial difficulty. It provides:
- Annual grants to medical students who are taking medicine as a second degree. Application packs for these grants are only available from November to mid-January each year.
- One-off grants to medical students who are in immediate and serious financial need
- One-off grants to unemployed doctors for essential items such as utility bills, travel and disability equipment
- One-off grants to working doctors in financial hardship for help with the GMC retention fee and professional indemnity insurance.
- Grants to refugee and asylum seeking doctors to meet the costs of taking the PLAB exams and GMC registration
- Money advice for any doctor who is having difficulty managing financially
The Trustees may make other awards at their discretion.
You do not have to be a BMA member to apply.
Applications are accepted all year round except for those for second degree medical students. Applicants are asked to complete an application form and provide financial information and the contact details for two referees. The process takes approximately four weeks from the receipt of a fully completed application.
The Fund does not pay off debts or make grants for private medical expenses, legal fees, career development costs, mortgages or childcare costs.
For more information please contact info.bmacharities@bma.org.uk or 020 7383 6142 so that we can discuss your situation with you. If we are unable to help we will try to provide you with information about other organisations which might be able to assist.
The Dain Fund
The Fund helps with the education and support of doctors’ children when there are financial problems in the family. In most of the families helped the parents are out of work or on a very low income.
The Fund particularly welcomes applications from refugee doctors.
Grants are made for items such as school clothing, school trips, essential IT equipment, disability equipment, breakfast clubs and, occasionally, short-term school fees, however the fund is unable to help with childcare costs for working doctors.
You do not have to be a BMA member to make an application.
Applications are accepted all year round.
For more information please contact info.bmacharities@bma.org.uk or 020 7383 6142. If they are unable to help we will try to provide you with information about other organisations which might be able to assist.
British Doctor & Dentists Group (BDDG)
The BDDG is a service for recovering alcoholic and drug dependent doctors, dentists and students.
Tel: 0779 2819 966
Doctors Support Network
Health for Health Professionals
The h4hp website supports doctors with health problems, their families and those involved with their treatment.
Medical Defence Union
The Medical Protection Society
Narcotics anonymous
Tel: 0300 900 1212
Acas
provide information, advice, training, conciliation and other services for employers and employees to help prevent or resolve workplace problems.
T: 0300 123 1100
The Samaritans
Tel: 08457 909 090 (UK)
Sick Doctors Trust
Provision of early intervention and treatment for doctors suffering from addiction to alcohol or other drugs.
Tel: 0370 444 5163
Support4Doctors
Information and advice for doctors in the UK.
British International Doctors' Association (BIDA)
The BIDA (Formerly he Overseas Doctors' Association) was founded with the aim of supporting and protecting the interests of international doctors and dentists working in the UK and promoting trans cultural healthcare. Through its Welfare, Information and Advice Service, BIDA offers support and guidance to doctors. Its many active local divisions encourage local networking and peer support for its members.
T: 0161 456 7828
Medical Women's Federation
The Medical Women's Federation can provide advice, information, workshops, lectures and social programmes, along with grants, prizes and opportunities to present abstracts at national conferences, to women doctors and medical students. They update and inform members of changes affecting the medical profession and women's health.
T: 020 7387 7765
Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA)
The HCSA is both a professional association and trade union affiliated tot eh Trade Union Congress (TUC). Its main objective is to meet the needs of its members by responding to members when the need advice on their contract, terms and conditions of service, job plan or any other issue affecting their employment. That advice will lead to formal representation where a member might, for example, be victim or alleged perpetrator of personal misconduct. The HCSA specialises in supporting hospital consultants, specialists and specialist trainees at such a time.
T: 01256 771 777
W: www.hcsa.com
Royal Medical Foundation
The Royal Medical Foundation assists GMC-registered doctors and their families who have a proven financial need. Both regular and one-off awards are considered together with assistance with school fees for children of GMC-registered doctors enabling them to maintain educational stability in times of distress. Assistance is mainly considered for those in their public examination years.
T: 01372 821010
W: www.royalmedicalfoundation.org
E: rmf-caseworker@epsomcollege.org.uk
StepChange Debt Charity
StepChange Debt Charity helps over 500,000 people a yea across the UK to overcome their debt problems and get their lives back on track. They understand the causes and see the consequences of debt, bust most importantly they know the way out. They offer a range of free services and solutions to suit every situation and circumstance.
T: 0800 138 1111
Royal Medical Benevolent Fund
The Royal Medical Benevolent Fund is the leading UK charity for doctors, medical students and their families. It provides financial support, advice and information when it is most needed because of age, ill health, disability or bereavement. Depending on individual needs and circumstances, support can be through the provision of grants, information and debt management advice as well as the Medical Student Programme.
T: 020 8540 9194
W: rmbf.org
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
CQC can be contacted if a doctor wants to raise a concern about the health or social care service they work for (whistle-blowing). The information will be dealt with in confidence and concerns can be raised anonymously. Before contacting CQC, you may want to speak to your line manager or a senior member of staff about your concerns and read your employer's whistle-blowing policy which will give you information on what to do next. If you feel like you can't talk to someone in your organisation, visit the CQC website to view their quick guide to whistle-blowing or guidance for workers which gives helpful advice on speaking about poor care and what protection you will have from the law.
T: 03000 616161
W: www.cqc.org.uk/content/report-concern-if-you-are-member-staff
Patients First
Patients First is a network of health professionals and their supporters. They work to create an NHS where whistle-blowers are no longer needed - to reduce death and harm in the NHS by campaigning for the UK governments to create policies and laws that will ensure te NHS becomes open and accountable. Patients First can provide moral support for those who raise concerns about patient safety. Their aim is to bring about effective dialogue between different levels of staff within a trust in the interest of patient safety. The service is run by volunteers who try to respond to contacts within 48 hours. They are currently campaigning for a public inquiry into the challenges faced by staff who raise concerns (whistle-blowers) and their website contains some useful guidance on how to raise concerns.
GP Health Service
Provides access to confidential mental health and addiction support for GP's or GP trainees on the National Performers list via a self-referral.
T: 0300 0303 300