The service is available to members (both consultants
and trainees) and associates of the College. Doctors
contacting the service who are not College members or
associates will be given general advice during the initial call,
and then referred to the Membership Section to
discuss whether there is a grade of association with the College
for which they would be eligible, before further advice is
provided.
Your phone call will be received by the Support Service Manager
who will listen to the details of your situation and review your
case with the Associate Registrar leading the service.
Following this review, you will either be directed to an
appropriate organisation to provide the necessary support, or
referred to a senior College member for focused advice and/or
short-term mentoring.
The service does not provide counselling, its main aim is to
help doctors to help themselves in the most appropriate and
effective way possible.
We will endeavour to guide you through the issue you are
having difficulty with and not attempt to make judgements about
whether you are in the 'right' or 'wrong'. It is expected that
doctors experiencing difficulties will have followed the correct
policies and procedures within their own organisations in the first
instance.