Wesleyan donation aids doctors charity project
Mental health and suicide prevention charity Doctors in Distress is launching two new series of weekly support groups for medical professionals, thanks to a £25,000 donation from the Wesleyan Foundation.
The first series will focus on providing support for doctors and dentists experiencing long Covid.
The sessions - which began in September and will run for 10 weeks - will give participants the chance to join small groups to share their experiences of long Covid and receive advice from guest speakers on how to support their mental health through their illness.
The second series will provide emotional and psychological support for international medical graduates (IMGs) working in the UK - a demographic that currently comprises more than half of new UK registrations with the General Medical Council (GMC).
Starting from the 4 November, this series will give participants the chance to hear from other IMG doctors, including Dr Ananta Dave, chief medical officer of NHS Black Country ICB & President of the British Indian Psychiatric Association, on their experiences as IMGs.
They 'll also receive practical guidance on topics ranging from navigating the 'cultural quirks ' of living in the UK to financial management - including a session led by a Wesleyan specialist financial adviser.
Nathan Wallis, chief of staff at Wesleyan, said: “Many of our customers are medical professionals and we know that they are under huge pressures right now. On top of the day-to-day whirlwind of patient care, those arriving from overseas have their own particular challenges as they settle into what can be a complex and confusing healthcare system.
“As a mutual, our promise to our customers is to advise, support and help provide peace of mind where we can. Doctors in Distress provides invaluable help for doctors and IMGs to successfully settle into their roles and we 're incredibly proud to be able to support them. ”
Ann Paul, CEO, Doctors in Distress, said: “NHS staff are hugely committed to their patients and their colleagues. But they need help too. They suffer from the same illnesses, worries and concerns as the people they treat but they often don 't feel they can access the support they need.
“Our work aims to drive cultural change so that doctors can easily and openly seek this assistance and start to offer some aid in our own way.
“These sessions will provide a forum for these important discussions in a welcoming, open environment. We 're encouraging all who are interested to sign-up and come along. ”
Both series will be hosted on Zoom and will be free to join. Those interested in the long Covid series can register at https://bit.ly/3q7s9HQ, and those interested in the 10-week IMG series can register at https://bit.ly/3Dc14ep.