Retention Charter action 2.4

Action 2.4: Make available or signpost to specific services and support for psychiatrists with mental illness, addictions, and neurodiversity..

Action 2.4 is part of Domain 2 of the RCPsych's Retention Charter for employers - which relates to supporting psychiatrists' mental and physical health.

What stage is your organisation at?

Use this maturity matrix to assess what stage your organisation is at, in terms of Action 2.4. 

  • Policies and guidance are in place for supporting psychiatrists with mental illness, addictions, and/or neurodiversity. These are readily available to staff through the organisation's intranet page or other accessible means and promoted during staff inductions and at regular timepoints.
  • Psychiatrists with mental illness, addictions, or neurodiversity are signposted to relevant health and support services, including specialist services like NHS practitioner health and occupational health departments.
  • Regular communication and support are offered to individuals on sick leave and personalised support and rehabilitation on return to work.

  • Feedback is routinely collated and acted upon regarding the effectiveness of support services offered for psychiatrists with mental illness, addiction, or neurodiversity.
  • Occupational health services are regularly evaluated for impact and quality.
  • Regular communication and meetings are established between medical leadership, HR, and occupational health departments to enable timely support and appropriate help for psychiatrists experiencing illness, including enhanced support for those who have been referred to the regulator due to a health condition affecting their fitness to practise.

  • Reciprocal agreements are in place between organisations to provide specialist support (e.g. inpatient admissions) to psychiatrists experiencing mental health problems, addictions, or neurodiversity.
  • The organisation reviews barriers to psychiatrists accessing help and support for mental illness, addiction, or neurodiversity and works collaboratively with them to identify and implement solutions.
  • Psychiatrists and senior leaders who have recovered from chronic mental illness and/or addictions are supported to share their stories, if desired, to provide hope and demonstrate that they can be an enhanced version of themselves after illness.

Advice and recommendations

  • Create a folder of resources for psychiatrists with mental illness, addictions, or neurodiversity with links to relevant policies, local guidance, and resources. Ensure this is readily accessible on the staff intranet.
  • Signpost to external support such as the RCPsych Psychiatrists Support Service (PSS) and NHS Practitioner Health.
  • Refer Psychiatrists with mental illness, addictions, or neurodiversity to occupational health services to help protect and support them, including identifying adjustments required in the workplace. 
  • Empower managers to discuss initiatives and support available within the organisation to support psychiatrists with mental illness, addictions, or neurodiversity such as flexible working arrangements, staff counselling, and peer support networks.
  • Discuss and agree with psychiatrists on sick leave how often managers/supervisors will keep in touch and who will contact them.
  • Ensure that psychiatrists returning to work after illness receive a personalised return-to-work plan in collaboration with occupational health services.
  • Consider using blog posts, newsletter articles, social media, and/or the staff Intranet to share the stories of staff members who have recovered from mental illness or addiction, with their consent, and continued thriving at work.
  • Seek feedback from psychiatrists with mental illness, addictions, or neurodiversity through various means such as individual conversations, surveys, focus groups, and working collaboratively with peer support networks and health and wellbeing champions within the organisation.  Ensure that feedback is collected exploring their experiences of support provided by line managers and the wider organisation, support during sick leave, barriers to accessing support, workplace adjustments, and the effectiveness of occupational health services.  Demonstrate feedback is acted on through initiatives such as ‘you said we did’.
  • Establish agreements with other mental health organisations to ensure that Psychiatrists requiring inpatient psychiatric admission have the option to be cared for outside of their own organisation.

Links and resources

  • NHS Practitioner Health provides free, confidential NHS primary care mental health and addictions services that specialist in treating health professionals including psychiatrists.
  •  The RCPsych Psychiatric Resident Doctors' Committee (PRCD) Podcast Series ‘You are Not Alone’ includes an episode (Episode 1) which discusses Psychiatrists’ experiences of mental illness.
  • Dr Ananta Dave has published a report, completed during her Churchill Fellowship, titled ‘Preventing doctors from dying by suicide: Constructing cross-organisational collaboration’. This report highlights several recommendations on how UK healthcare systems can support doctors with mental illness, improve doctor’s health and wellbeing, and prevent suicide.
  • Doctors Support Network (DSN) provides support for doctors and medical students with mental health concerns.
  • Doctors in Distress is a charity which advocates for mental health support for all healthcare works and has various programmes available including peer support groups, webinars, and a burnout recovery course.
  • The BMA provides a free and confidential counselling and peer support service that is available 24/7 for all doctors and medical students.
  • NHS Employers has produced a sickness absence toolkit which provides guidance on having supportive conversations with employees experiencing illness.
  • NHS Employers has published guidance on commissioning occupational health services for staff.
  • The book, ‘Beneath the White Coat’, edited by Clare Gerada, highlights many difficulties faced by doctors and offers practical steps to emotional and physical recovery.
  • The Royal Medical Benevolent Fund provides financial support, advice and information for doctors, medical students, and their families impacted by factors such as ill health, disability, or bereavement.
  • DocHealth provides confidential, online psychotherapy consultation services for qualified doctors. Fees vary depending on career grade, but financial assistance is available for doctors in financial difficulty. The service is supported by the BMA and Royal Medical Benevolent Fund.
  • British Doctors and Dentists Group is a recovery group for doctors and dentists with addictions, providing members with access to in-person and online meetings focusing on providing mutual support and sharing individual journeys, difficulties, and how to overcome them.

Examples of good practice

The book, Strengthened by Storms, shares the personal stories of mental health recovery by staff members at Devon Partnership NHS Trust.