Services and Support
There are many support services and online resources that doctors and medical students can access for any level of support that you or your colleagues may need.
EAP/Counselling services
Many employers, colleges, medical schools, insurers, ACC, and professional associations provide access to confidential support services, including counselling and/or psychology. These support services are:
- Often available for both doctors and their families
- Can be accessed for personal or professional issues
- Initial EAP approval usually covers up to 6 sessions free of charge
Some EAP services can be found below (or by speaking with your employer):
MAS Free EAP counselling for our Members - MAS
Coaching, mentoring and professional supervision options
Coaching, mentoring, and professional supervision each offer distinct but complementary types of support for doctors and medical students. Coaching helps clinicians clarify goals, build capability, and navigate complex professional challenges; mentoring provides guidance grounded in experience and relationship; and professional supervision creates a structured, reflective space to ensure safe, ethical, sustainable practice.
There are many clinicians providing this service for medical colleagues, including those listed below. Note that on occasion these services may be funded via your CME/CPD funding pathway. For charges and other details around service provision, please contact the provider directly:
Script for Change https://www.scriptforchange.co.nz/
At Script for Change, experienced GPs Dr Sandra Spilg and Dr Joanne MacGregor provide confidential coaching, mentoring, and professional supervision for doctors throughout New Zealand via Zoom. They offer a thoughtful, non-judgemental space to explore whatever is most important to you; this might include feeling overwhelmed by workload pressures and workplace stress, concerns about burnout, navigating complaints, rebuilding professional confidence, considering career changes, managing workplace relationships, or seeking a more sustainable way of working.
Script for Change aim to help doctors stay well, work sustainably, and navigate the complexities of a medical career without losing sight of who they are and why they came into medicine. They help doctors develop practical strategies, protect their well-being and professional confidence, and make decisions that are aligned with both their professional responsibilities and personal values.
As doctors themselves, Sandra and Jo understand the unique pressures that doctors face. We believe that doctors deserve access to support that is both professionally informed and genuinely compassionate. Whether you are facing a specific challenge or simply want dedicated time and space to think, reflect, and plan your next steps, we tailor our approach to your individual circumstances and needs.
Kahu Vision Professional supervision For NZ Healthcare Practitioners
At Kahu Vision, experienced GP, educator and professional supervisor Dr Sue Hawken offers a safe space to explore and reflect on workplace issues. Professional supervision facilitates improved practice and enhanced wellbeing, and can be a vital source of support in the current challenging climate.
Sue's specific interests are in leadership, professionalism and wellbeing, and she has published widely on factors related to developing the professional clinician.
Sue offers sessions via Zoom or in person in Auckland. To contact her for a confidential free initial session you can email sue@kahuvision.co.nz or visit her website.
Supports for Health NZ staff
All RMOs and SMOs who are employed by Health NZ can access EAP via Southern Cross Mental Health. Services offered include counselling, Rōngoa Maori, couples/whānau/group counselling, non-clinical supervision, financial and legal support. These services are safe, supportive and confidential, and no personal information is shared without consent.
For more information, visit your local Health NZ intranet, the Southern Cross website Mental Health - Southern Cross Healthcare or call 0800 735 343.
Wellbeing resources
There are numerous online resources to support you and your colleagues wellbeing, including:
A wonderful toolkit from Pegasus Health Sustaining general practitioner wellbeing | Pegasus Health
Resources developed by RACGP RACGP - RACGP Wellbeing Program
RNZCGPs wellbeing page Member wellbeing | RNZCGP
Medical Council of New Zealand Health Team
The MCNZ Health Team provides guidance to ensure doctors remain well while practising safely. Doctors must be fit to practise without posing risks to patients or the public.
Worksafe New Zealand
Advice and support for workplace health and safety, including compliance issues and safety concerns.
https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/
Career Support & Coaching
Practical advice and peer support to guide career development and transitions.
Australian Medical Association (AMA): Career advice, CV writing, interview preparation
Creative Careers in Medicine: Peer support for career change and non-traditional medical roles (via Facebook)
Occupational Physicians
Specialists in workplace health, wellbeing, and vocational rehabilitation. They provide support for work-related injuries, illnesses, and workplace adjustments.
Learn More at the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Business Support
Support for doctors in managing the business side of medicine, including insurance, financial and business advisory services, and EAP.
Doctors with Disabilities Australia
A peer-support network promoting inclusive medical careers and supporting doctors with disabilities.
Unions
They are there for you particularly around employment matters but can answer a range of other questions relating to workplace issues and practice matters. See some examples below
Doctors Health Aotearoa
Doctors Health Aotearoa's mission is to support doctor and medical student health and wellbeing. Over coming months, we will be re-imagining what wellbeing support could look like in Aotearoa - if you have ideas to share, please reach out.
We work closely with our Australian counterparts, located in every state and territory of Australia. Their websites, online webinars, newsletters and other useful resources can be found on the Doctors’ Health Alliance website: https://doctorshealthalliance.org.au/support-for-you-colleagues
Learn how to support colleagues
Checking in on colleagues is a vital skill. While we should not treat colleagues in a corridor consultation, we need to remember that when a colleague seems to be struggling, there may be a health issue. Checking in as a caring colleague and supporting them to access the care they need can help our colleagues conquer the barriers to health access.
We can recommend this free online training to become a peer support facilitator, delivered by Hand N Hand Peer Support Training | Hand-n-Hand Peer Support
This video was made by a medical student showing how the kindness of colleagues can make a huge difference in people’s lives: Hey, RU OK?
Learn more about being a doctor for doctors
Would you like help Doctors Health Aotearoa support doctors and medical students?
There are several ways you can help support the health and wellbeing of doctors and medical students in Aotearoa New Zealand:
- Mentoring and Peer Support: If you are a trained mentor or peer supporter, or would like to become one, please get in touch! We can recommend this free online training to become a peer support facilitator, delivered by Hand N Hand Peer Support Training | Hand-n-Hand Peer Support
- Specialist Support: If you are a GP, psychiatrist, occupational physician, addiction specialist, clinical psychologist, or another specialist able to prioritise appointments for doctors and students, we’d love to hear from you.
- Wellbeing service provision: If you work in a service that supports Doctors' or Medical Students' wellbeing, please connect with us - we woudl be happy to publish the details of your service on this website.
- Donations & Bequests: Support our mission through a bequest or donation.
If you’d like to contribute in any of these ways, please contact us.
Podcasts
Seeking support during your own personal or professional health crisis
How do doctors look after their own health while caring for their patients? In this episode of ACRRM Life Hacks, Dr Emily Moody speaks with Dr Roger Sexton, rural GP and Medical Director of Doctors’ Health SA, about the importance of seeking support during personal or professional health crises.
Podcast with Dr Cheryl Martin exploring health, wellbeing, optimal performance and professional fulfilment with a particular focus on doctors and healthcare.
Caduceus Unwound | Gen | Substack
Caduceus Unwound is a space where doctors and other healthcare workers share their lived experience with addiction and recovery, and professionals discuss insights from working alongside them. This podcast aims to be compassionate, honest and pragmatic, with a focus on providing concrete steps and resources in recovery work.
Podcast Episodes (only first two released thus far, the next three are in postproduction, the others are to be recorded)
1. After the Shift: Doctors and Addiction
3. Guardrails & Grace: discussing addiction with your employers
4. Surviving AHPRA: a Doctor's experience with notification
5. Differences in Doctors with addiction
Future - Legal perspectives on addiction, recovery & AHPRA; Hijacked Insight and Distorted Choice; Stigma; Relapse and Remission; Models of Addiction; More TBC.
Dr Jo Braid is the host of this podcast tailored for healthcare professionals who want strategies to get out of burnout and prevent heading into the cycle of burnout again. You will discover many strategies to deal with overwhelming feelings. Put yourself first without the guilt and live a fulfilling life you have worked hard for.
RACGP Podcast - "The keys to success for seeing doctors as patients"
Dr Helen Wilcox (Medical Director, Doctors' Health Advisory Service Western Australia DHASWA), joins The Good GP to emphasise the importance of doctors becoming patients too. Highlighting the advantages of objective care, specialist referrals, and legal protections.
AVANT Health Podcasts with Dr Michael Myers
Georgie Haysom, Head of Research Education and Advocacy at Avant, sat down with Michael Myers, a professor of clinical psychiatry from the SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York. Professor Myers is a doctor's doctor, a treating practitioner and a specialist in doctor’s health. He is also an acclaimed author, speaker and advocate for health and well-being. In this series of five podcasts we discuss with Michael the issues surrounding burnout and stress, and he offers some great advice on how to look after yourself throughout your career.
Doctors' health, wellbeing, career - conversations with many different doctors sharing their experiences and advice.
Featured on a number of podcasts, Sharee Johnson is regularly interviewed about wellbeing, self awareness and how to sustain a balanced career in medicine.
The podcast for Doctors in Training and students of medicine, nursing, allied health and health sciences. Created by RACGP Australian GP of the Year, Dr David Lam MBBS FRACGP-RG JCCA.
Podcast creator Dr Isabella Townshend asks are you a health professional seeking a change in your work life? The Handover looks to explore the journeys of people who have changed their life within health through beating burnout, changing specialties, going non-clinical or doing something completely different! The options are limitless.
A podcast created by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) about the culture of medicine. Some recommended episodes:
- Episode 5: Physician, Health Thyself
- Episode 101: Setting the standard for workforce wellbeing
- Episode 126: Trying times for Maori medics
NHS Practitioner Health Wellbeing
Mental health and wellbeing podcasts from health professionals coming together to chat on a variety of topics.
For doctors and other professionals with ADHD
A Healthy Exchange: Promotional Kit
A Healthy Exchange features real-life stories inspiring health professionals to grow and thrive! Whether you’re a student, patient, just starting your career or a specialist, this podcast is for you.
This Working Life with Lisa Leong
An ABC podcast, you navigate your way through the tough times, looking for the sunshine and the humanity in the world of work. From the quirky to the somewhat controversial, experts in the world of work and business share their ideas, experiments and fast fails that you can apply to your own career. Airs 1.30pm Sunday. Repeated 11.30am Tuesday and 12.30am Thursday.
In healthcare, the often-overlooked challenges faced by frontline professionals are gaining attention, thanks to voices like Nathalie Martinek, Ph.D. Our latest podcast episode, hosted by Nicola Knobel and Deborah Pitout on the show "SafeTea," delves deeply into the prevalent issues of burnout, moral distress, and the emotional well-being of medical practitioners.
The GP Show is a podcast for all health professionals, hosted by GP Dr Sam Manger and health leaders from around the world discussing health, medicine and healthcare systems.
The Good GP - "Top Tips for a Successful Placement in General Practice"
In this special episode of The Good GP, Dr Krystyna de Lange is joined by a number of doctors from current GPs in training through to experienced GPs and GP supervisors, to share their top tips for having a successful placement in General Practice. Whether you are a GP in training just starting out, a GP supervisor or practice owner who supports trainees or even a GP just wanting a refresh, there is something in this episode for everyone.
Narrative articles written by doctors who experienced health issues
Some peer reviewed papers relevant to caring for colleagues
Hutton CJ, Kay M, Round P, Barton C
Do they think I’m good enough? General practitioners’ experiences when treating doctor-patients.
Hutton CJ, Kay M, Round P, Barton C.
Doctors’ experiences when treating doctor-patients: a scoping review.
Kay M.
I know to look after myself – I’m a doctor! O&G Magazine. Winter, 2020; 22(2).
Kay M, Dawes V.
Working together to ensure health care access for doctors.
Kay M, Mitchell G, Clavarino A, Frank E.
Developing a framework for understanding doctors’ health access: A qualitative study of Australian GPs.
Kay M, Mitchell G, Clavarino A.
What doctors want? A consultation method when the patient is a doctor.
Kay M, Mitchell G, Clavarino A, Doust J.
Doctors as patients: a systematic review of doctors' health access and the barriers they experience.
Books that offer a reflection by doctors about their health
Klitzman, R.
When doctors become patients.
Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2008
Bravery, B.
The patient doctor. How one man's cancer diagnosis led to a quest to put the heart back into healthcare.
Hachette Australia 2022
Groopman, J.
‘How doctors think.’ Scribe Publications
Melbourne. 2007
O'Hagen, Lucy
Everything but the Medicine
Dr4Drs self-paced online modular education
This interactive training module was developed to support doctors to learn more about doctors’ health. It includes a series of modules that discuss: Understanding self-care, accessing healthcare, learning to be a doctor-patient and training to be a doctor for a doctor. It is designed for busy doctors so can be paused and restarted as needed.
The module is available at the Drs4Drs website
Books relevant to caring for our health
Rowe L, Abeygunawardana V, Kidd M.
Every doctor. healthier doctors = healthier patients.
Gerada C.(Ed)
Beneath the white coat doctors, Their minds and mental health.
Leanne Rowe, Vihangi Abeygunawardana, Michael Kidd
Every Doctor - Healthier Doctors = Healthier Patients
