National Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers Lost to Suicide

17^th September 2024 will mark the first ever National Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers Lost to Suicide set up by Doctors in Distress and NHS Practitioner Health. This is an opportunity for us to remember all of our colleagues who have taken their own lives.

NHS Practitioner Health (PH) has shared that over 2,500 health and care workers have been recorded to have ended their own lives since 2011, based on the Office for National Statistics’ data (NHS PH). It has also been reported that over 360 nurses made attempts to end their own lives in 2022 in the UK (Ford, 2023). Recent reports have highlighted a number of concerns regarding the wellbeing of doctors.

The recent General Medical Council (GMC) report, “The State of Medical Education and Practice in the UK Workplace Experience 2024” states, “a third of doctors are struggling and feel unable to cope.” This report also identifies that specific groups of doctors are at higher risk, highlighting that doctors in training are more likely to experience burnout than any other doctors and that GPs experience the lowest satisfaction levels and are at highest risk of have difficulties with their workload. Similar issues were also highlighted in the GMC “National Training Survey 2024” where 21% of trainees were identified as being at high risk of developing burnout and 52% found their job emotionally exhausting to a high or very high degree. With regards to trainers, 50% were found to be at high or moderate risk of developing burnout.

For further information on National Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers Lost to Suicide, please visit the link below where you can also find out about how to order memorial pin badges, the proceeds of which go to support the mental health of healthcare workers:

https://doctors-in-distress.org.uk/national-memorial-day/

Doctors in Distress have also set up the National Memorial Tree Campaign, encouraging all hospital trusts and primary care settings to remember healthcare staff who have taken their own lives by planting a tree on their grounds. To find out more about this project and see the memorial trees that have been planted so far, please visit the link below:

https://doctors-in-distress.org.uk/national-memorial-tree-campaign/

If you are a healthcare worker struggling with any mental health concern, please do reach out for support from the following:  

• NHS Practitioner Health: Free confidential NHS primary care mental health and addiction service with expertise in treating health and care professionals. 0300 0303 300 or access the service via https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/. This is not a crisis service.
• Doctors in Distress: Run a variety of programmes. Access via Programme – Doctors in Distress (doctors-in-distress.org.uk). This is not a crisis or therapy service.
• Find your local NHS mental health helpline via Mental Health Helpline for Urgent Help – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
• Seek help from your GP.
• Call 111.
• Samaritans: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 116 123 or contact them via Contact Us | Samaritans
• SHOUT 85258: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week offers crisis text support. Text SHOUT to 85258.
• Suicide Prevention UK: 6pm- midnight, 7 days a week on 0800 689 5652.
• CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably): daily 5pm- midnight on 0800 58 58 58 or contact them via Get Help & Support With… | Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) (thecalmzone.net)
• Hub of Hope: A database of local mental health resources in your area. Visit Mental Health Support Network provided by Chasing the Stigma | Hub of hope
• Papyrus: For people under 35 who feel life is no longer worth living, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 0800 068 41 41 or text 07786 209697.
• Childline: For people under 19, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 0800 1111 or contact them via Contacting Childline | Childline

In the case of an emergency, call 999 or attend your nearest A&E Department.

References:

Doctors in Distress. National Memorial Tree Campaign. https://doctors-in-distress.org.uk/national-memorial-tree-campaign/ Accessed on 22/8/2024.

Doctors in Distress. National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers. https://doctors-in-distress.org.uk/national-memorial-day/ Accessed on 22/8/2024.

Ford, M. (2023, March 9). More than 360 nurses attempt suicide in 2022, says charity. Nursing Times.https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/nurse-wellbeing/more-than-360-nurses-attempted-suicide-in-2022-says-charity-09-03-2023/

General Medical Council. (2024). National Training Survey 2024 Results. https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/national-training-survey-summary-report-2024_pdf-107834344.pdf

General Medical Council. (2024). The State of Medical Education and Practice in the UK Workplace experience 2024. https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/somep-workplace-report-2024-full-report_pdf-107930713.pdf

Practitioner Health. National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers. https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/news/health-and-care-staff-lost-to-suicide Accessed on 22/8/2024.