Occasionally learners might find themselves in difficulty, due to ill health or other reasons. We are all here to help and depending on the type of difficulties you find yourself in, you may want to consider discussing these issues with your ES, one or all of the Programme Directors and or your CS.
Sources of support and help
PSWS
The Thames Valley Professional Support and Wellbeiing Service (PSWS) has been established to provide a comprehensive careers service, performance support and wellbeing service for all doctors and dentists in primary and secondary care. Their services include personal coaching and mentoring, workshops, and information designed to support career choices and address performance improvement needs. For performance issues a referral should be made with the support of your PDs and ES.
Medic support
Medic support is a free, confidential service offering psychotherapy and psychology services for all doctors in training across the Oxford Deanery. If you are feeling stressed or distressed this service is for you and you can self-refer in confidence.
https://thamesvalley.hee.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/12/medic-support-leaflet-2019.pdf
Your GP
Don’t forget that the GMC states that all doctors should be registered with a GP and that your GP can provide you with fantastic primary care services.
Other sources of support
There are a variety of other services offering counselling or support specifically for doctors:
The BMA http://bma.org.uk/practical-support-at-work/doctors-well-being
The BMA Counselling Service is staffed by professional telephone counsellors, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. All counsellors are members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and are bound by strict codes of confidentiality and ethical practice. “Doctors for Doctors” runs alongside the BMA Counselling Service giving doctors and medical students in distress or difficulty the choice of speaking in confidence to another doctor.
The local LMC and OXFORD UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST both keep lists of sources of support for doctors locally and nationally:
https://www.bbolmc.co.uk/nationalsourcesofhelpfordoctors
http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/education-centres/careers/doctors-support.aspx