NHS Practitioner Health

@nhsprachealth.bsky.social

231 Followers 89 Following

Mental health and addiction treatment service for health and care professionals who cannot access confidential treatment from local services. Tel: 0300 0303 300 For 24/7 crisis support text NHSPH to 85258.

Feedback Friday "Practitioner Health saved my life. I think what was particularly powerful and important for me was being treated by clinicians who understand the mentality common to many doctors- that we are terrible patients, we often ignore or minimise our own difficulties, and we feel huge guilt about receiving treatment or taking time off. The wisdom, experience, insight, empathy, kindness and skill shown to me was the best of the best and I am just so incredibly grateful. Thank you for caring for me and giving me my life and career back!"
Photograph of Professor Mala Rao at The Wounded Healer, 2024. The Wounded Healer 2027 - Do you want the opportunity to present your ideas at The Wounded Healer in 2027? Submit an abstract: bit.ly/WHAbstracts27. Deadline: 31st October 2026
Wishing all the resident doctors and health and care professionals beginning a new placement today the best of luck! Health and care professionals in England and Scotland, including resident doctors, are able to register with Practitioner Health. We are here if you need us!
Submit a Tribute - Ensuring that the lives of health and care professionals lost to suicide are celebrated is of paramount importance. This year, we will be launching a memorial wall on our website to remember those we have lost to suicide. Through shared memories, photographs and tributes, we hope to celebrate their lives, the impact they had they had on others, and their service. Submit a tribute: bit.ly/NSMD26
Meet the Team at Practitioner Health Dr Sarah Newton is a Psychotherapist at Practitioner Health, specializing in supporting people with depression, anxiety disorders, burnout, adjustment, and relationship issues. Sarah is passionate about Interpersonal Psychotherapy, aiming to promote personal understanding of the connections between your feelings, your life situation, and your relationships with others. She has significant expertise in working with relationship issues and disputes, challenges with adjusting to significant life changes, and complex grief. Sarah is also trained in several third-wave therapies, such as CBT, ACT, and DBT. Alongside working for Practitioner Health, Sarah is also a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health at Teesside University. Dr Sarah Newton, Psychotherapist
National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers Share a Message of Hope What did you need to hear at your lowest moment? This NSMD, we are looking for health and care professionals to submit messages of hope for their fellow colleagues who are struggling with their mental health in silence. On the 17th of September, we will be launching a webpage dedicated to sharing messages of hope with health and care professionals across the globe. Submit your message here: bit.ly/NSMD26
Lasting Memories and Building Hope: Working to ensure that no more lives are lost to suicide - National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers, 17th September 2026
Feedback Friday - "When you’re feeling overwhelmed and under a lot of stress, having access to services like Practitioner Health can be incredibly helpful. Longer consultations with full confidentiality, with nothing added to your GP record, can provide real peace of mind. The quick-access support and CBT sessions are also very beneficial."
Want the opportunity to share your experiences and findings in the world of workforce wellbeing? Submit an abstract to be in with a chance of presenting at The Wounded Healer in 2027! Apply here: bit.ly/WHAbstracts27
Meet the Team Dr Mona Johnson is a Lead Clinician at Practitioner Health and combines this with a national clinical leadership role in digital health and patient safety at NHS England. At Practitioner Health, Mona supports health and care professionals experiencing psychological distress, navigating the complexities of staying well, or returning to work after illness. She has a clinical interest in neurodiversity, and in how identity, relationships, and the systems we work within influence wellbeing, alongside the ethical and intersectional challenges that arise in healthcare. Drawing on psychotherapeutic training, Mona aims to create a thoughtful, psychologically safe space where people can make sense of their experiences, reconnect with their strengths, and find a way forward. She is also a GP appraiser.
Photograph of representative from Orpheus presenting on 'Rapid Relief for Patients and Practitioners - Lessons from the Orpheus App'
Feedback Friday "I have undertaken therapy before but this was by far the most practical and effective in empowering me to face the future with confidence. My therapist was excellent - sessions were very structured but she was very personable and clearly had a wealth of experience in helping clinicians with burnout symptoms."
What happens after I register with Practitioner Health? When you register with PH, a member of our clinical team will review the information you have provided. We will usually contact you within one to two working days to discuss the next steps. We may ask for some additional information or invite you to book an assessment with one of our experienced clinicians. Your assessment will be tailored to your needs and will usually last between 30 and 90 minutes depending on the type of assessment. The clinician will discuss your current difficulties, relevant circumstances and the support that may be most helpful. Together, you will agree a provisional care plan, which may include talking therapy, clinician-led case management, prescribing or other appropriate support.
1. Burnout, Recovery, and Sustainability at Work Strategies for individuals and hearing lived experiences.
"Connection is what makes us thrive as humans and excel as healthcare professionals. Connection with our patients - a safe, trusted space to speak openly. Connection with each other - a compassionate, reflective team culture. Connection with our work - holding on to purpose and meaning." ‘Showcasing Our Expertise’ Read here: bit.ly/PHAnnualReport2025-26
We’re all anxious about the match tonight (and that’s normal!) However, if you have ongoing increasing feelings of stress and anxiety and cannot access confidential treatment from local services, Practitioner Health is here to support you.
Meet the Team Liz Mason, Integrative Psychotherapist Liz is a UKCP-registered Integrative Psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience working with individuals, groups, and organisations. She has extensive experience providing psychotherapy for NHS and public sector staff, as well as working in GP surgeries. Her approach is interpersonal, providing a supportive and confidential space to explore underlying patterns and dynamics relating to issues such as depression, anxiety, burnout and relationship difficulties. This can lead to greater self-understanding and help identify any changes needed to move forward. She aims to work in ways that are accessible, creative and empowering as well as embracing diversity in all its forms.
Free Alcohol Trackers Alcohol trackers are a great way to learn more about your drinking habits, and help you to reduce the amount of alcohol you consume.
What Support Does Practitioner Health Offer Health and Care Professionals Experiencing Issues with Alcohol?
If I am dependent on alcohol and approach Practitioner Health, do you have to tell my regulator? No. If there is no risk to patients (for example turning up to work intoxicated) then there is no reason for your regulator to be involved at all. We have a Memorandum of Understanding with all the regulators which allows us to manage almost all cases without the need for regulator involvement. Practitioner Health exists so that health and care professionals can receive confidential mental health and addiction treatment that they cannot access from local services.
Why Might Health and Care Professionals Drink Alcohol?
Are You Dependent on Alcohol? Noticing the Signs
Happy Birthday NHS! Marking 78 years of Service
“As a national service working across regions and disciplines, connection does not happen by accident. It requires deliberate investment in relationships, shared learning, and creating environments where people feel seen, supported, and able to contribute. We continue to prioritise the fundamentals of connection across our workforce because we know that when our staff thrive, our patients receive better care.” ‘Connection’, Practitioner Health Annual Report Read here: bit.ly/PHAnnualReport2025-26
“The days are busy, demanding, and immensely rewarding. I leave them with a strong sense that what we do matters. Earlier in my career, I questioned whether I could offer anything more than standard general practice to a doctor or healthcare professional in difficulty. What I have learned is that, with time, experience, and a dedicated service like Practitioner Health, we are able to offer something much more: a nuanced, expert, and deeply supportive approach to the mental health of those who care for others.” Meet the Team – Dr Jenny Docherty Read here: bit.ly/PHAnnualReport2025-26
Meet the Team at Practitioner Health Jessica King, Regional Operations Manager Jessica King is the Regional Operations Manager for the North, Midlands, and East, and has worked at Practitioner Health for 3.5 years, having been drawn to the role by a strong interest in addiction, mental health, and a desire to develop her operational management skills. Before joining Practitioner Health, Jessica spent seven years at Medical Protection Society, where she saw first-hand the stress doctors and dentists experienced during investigations, and the vital support that Practitioner Health provided during this time. Moving to Practitioner Health allowed Jessica to align her work with her values and collaborate with incredible colleagues. In her role, Jessica supports clinical leads, manages clinical rotas, contributes to in house projects and service changes, and assists team leaders with day to day resource management.
Foreword from our Medical Directors Read here: bit.ly/PHAnnualReport2025-26 ‘As Medical Directors, we remain immensely proud of what our teams have achieved this year and are deeply grateful to every member of staff, partner organisation, and stakeholder who has contributed to our success. The challenges facing health and care professionals are significant, but so too is our determination to ensure that no health or care professional has to face them alone.’
Feedback Friday "A huge thanks for providing this service. I was in a position of desperation and I had no idea how I could access services without my colleagues or friends being aware. The support I have received has been excellent. Whilst the problems I have been experiencing haven't disappeared, I feel equipped with a variety of tools to be able to manage them going forward. My course of therapy sessions has been life changing."
‘This will be my final year at the head of the service, as I step down at the end of August with a plan to take early retirement.’ Photograph of Lucy Warner ‘I am immensely proud of what we have built– a compassionate, caring team of like-minded individuals, clinicians, therapists, and operational staff alike, who offer kindness and expertise to every encounter with our patients. A strong, credible service with an infrastructure built on pragmatic solutions and meaningful interventions for our patients, delivering reliable outcomes and sustained recovery.’ ‘Hello and Goodbye from Lucy Warner’ – Read here: bit.ly/PHAnnualReport2025-26
Frequently Asked Questions Is Practitioner Health an occupational health service? Practitioner Health is not an occupational health service. However, the Practitioner Health team may work with employers, Occupational Health departments, and others to develop and implement return to work programmes.
Meet the Team at Practitioner Health Dr Will Mangar, Lead Clinician Dr Will Mangar is a Lead Clinician at Practitioner Health, and has recently retired as a GP Partner after 21 years. At Practitioner Health, Will offers value to patients in leadership roles who struggle with mental wellbeing due to the burdens and responsibilities. He is also interested in helping people understand how psychological health can be influenced by team dynamics, and how navigating interpersonal relationships with other leaders can be complex. Will is also keen to raise awareness that even at a basic level, physical activity fosters good mental health, especially when it can be done outdoors in inspiring surroundings. He also encourages his patients to identify their ‘element ’ - the one interest or hobby that is specific to them and makes them who they are, in order to help them lead to mastery outside medicine, providing an important escape and meaning.
Congratulations to our Chief Executive Lucy Warner for being awarded a MBE for her services to the NHS!
How Can We Support Male Health and Care Professionals at Work? Men’s Health Week 2026 With Richard Jones, Clinical Director
Feedback Friday “Practitioner Health has made a significant positive difference in my life. It helped me when I experienced burn out in an incredibly busy NHS job. The reassurance I received from my clinician helped validate how I feel, and the CBT was so helpful in teaching me coping strategies for the future.”
Meet the Team Dr Jenny Holmes, Clincian Dr Jenny Holmes works as a clinician in the addictions team at Practitioner Health. Previously, Jenny worked for Merseyside Police for 20 years, leading the Custody Healthcare and Sexual Assault Referral Centre. She has also worked in substance misuse services. After her career in the police, Jenny retrained as a psychiatrist, and works in a neurodevelopmental service. In her role at Practitioner Health, Jenny chairs multidisciplinary team meetings, where her expertise is on questions surrounding the criminal justice system, regulation, and addictions. Currently, Jenny is working towards an accreditation as a CBT therapist.
How does Practitioner Health work? Practitioner Health has two components: - A team of nationwide clinicians available via our bespoke bookings application providing patient assessment and treatment. - A network of therapists who can provide you with ongoing treatment, therapies, and access to groups.
Feedback Friday “I have found the support invaluable. It was a long time before I felt able to admit I needed some help and I didn’t feel able to approach my own GP surgery. I came away from each appointment feeling that I was listened to and supported to make some decisions to try and help me feel better, and have been provided with practical advice on when next to seek further help.”
Who is eligible to register with Practitioner Health? - Any member of staff working in the NHS in England - Regulated health and social work/care professionals in Scotland - Doctors in Guernsey and Jersey - Doctors and Dentists in the Isle of Man who are unable to access confidential mental health and addiction treatment from local services.
Feedback Friday “It was great to know it was there and be able to access support from Practitioner Health. I liked being able to select options of who to speak to. I was really impressed with the holistic approach my clinician took to my initial assessment and their thoughtful suggestions about interventions.”
Missed out on our content and updates from may? Stay in the loop my subscribing to our monthly newsletter! Subscribe today: bit.ly/NHSPHNewsletter
Meet the Team at Practitioner Health Dr Liz Croton, Lead Clinician Dr Liz Croton is a lead clinician who has worked with Practitioner Health since 2019, and supports patients with mental health and addiction difficulties. She combines her Practitioner Health role with GP work in the West Midlands and remote and rural practice in Scotland, including island communities. She is also a GP appraiser and former GP trainer. Liz’s broad portfolio gives her an in-depth understanding of the pressures faced by colleagues across general practice, acute care, and remote settings. She applies her experience to provide effective treatment designed with health and care professionals in mind.
“I find an incredible amount of joy and meaning in long distance walking. Often I try and walk on consecutive days in a challenging and remote environment, with a rucksack, shelter, sleeping bag and a few bits of equipment to keep me fed, watered, and safe. The constant change in vista and visual experiences provides an incredible relief from the overstimulation and emotional demands we have from working in healthcare and mental health.” Dr Will Mangar Lead Clinician, Practitioner Health
Photograph of Dr Helen Garr speaking at MHVision 2026 conference. “As pressures across the NHS continue to grow, it is really important that PH is invited to speak about our experience of the realities facing healthcare professionals and how we support them.” Dr Helen Garr Medical Director, Practitioner Health Read more here: bit.ly/PHNewsletterMay26
Meet the Team at Practitioner Health Dr Jenny Keen is a clinician and addictions advisor at Practitioner Health. In this role, Jenny mainly works with patients with alcohol addiction, and is part of the addictions team supporting multidisciplinary teams (MDTs). Jenny started her career as a GP with an interest in treating individuals with heroin addiction, and has used her knowledge of addiction to work as an academic researcher at the University of Sheffield, an advisor to the RCGP and the UK Government, and provided addiction support to prisoners. “When I joined PH in 2016, I immediately loved the ethos of the service - to genuinely help doctors and others in the grip of mental health issues and addictions.”
Practitioner Health Awarded with a Silver Wellbeing Initiative Mental Health Accreditation. Image of silver tick accreditation.
How Can Health and Care Professionals Take Action on Their Mental Health? I have found that practicing the art of self-compassion is so important for mental health. As health and care professionals, we spend so much of our time caring for others often in difficult circumstances. In demanding and emotionally intense environments, it can be easy to ignore our own needs and inner struggles. Self-compassion helps us to respond to ourselves with kindness and reduce feelings of stress. By speaking to ourselves with understanding and patience in order to silence our inner critic, we are able to sustain our wellbeing. Dr Maiedha Raza – Clinician, Practitioner Health
How does Practitioner Health take action to prioritise workforce wellbeing?
How Do I take Action on My Mental Health? I work from home, so I find that the action with the fastest positive impact on me if I am experiencing symptoms of burnout is exercise. Before work, I cycle around my local park. This gives me a 30 minute "commute". At the end of my working day I often go out for a short walk or I mess around on my electronic drum kit. This switches my working brain off better than any other activity I know. Dr Abi Berger - Clinician, NHS Practitioner Health
International Nurses Day Today, we would like to acknowledge the essential work that nursing staff do across health and care - from providing lifesaving care, to simply holding a patient’s hand when they’re scared. We thank you for your hard work to care for those in need.
How can we take action on anxiety in health and care professionals? With Simon Lyne, Therapist at Practitioner Health
Feedback Friday: "I couldn't be more grateful for PH and my clinician. From day one they made me feel absolutely at ease. I opened up safely about what I had been struggling with, and they efficiently pointed me in the right direction which helped to identify the exact problem and work on it straight away."
Feedback Friday: "I couldn't be more grateful for PH and my clinician. From day one they made me feel absolutely at ease. I opened up safely about what I had been struggling with, and they efficiently pointed me in the right direction which helped to identify the exact problem and work on it straight away."
Meet the Team John Lincoln, Psychotherapist