‘Growing need’ for Practitioner Health service

Workplace stress has contributed to a rise in presentations to the Practitioner Health (PH) service, according to its medical director.

PH provides a free confidential service to doctors, dentists, and pharmacists experiencing stress, burnout, mental health, or substance use issues. It was launched in 2015.

According to its 2024 annual report, there were 113 new presentations last year, compared to 107 in 2023. Of the new presentations last year, 101 were doctors.

“I think there is definitely a growing need,” Medical Director Dr Íde Delargy told the Medical Independent. “That is, in terms of the stresses in the workplace, the demands [of the job] and probably the more litigious environment as well.” She noted a “huge fear” among practitioners of “making a mistake and being reported”.

In 2024, an additional 17 senior doctors (consultants and general practitioners) presented to the programme compared to 2023. “I think it is much more difficult for a senior clinician to seek help and find the appropriate help,” said Dr Delargy.

In keeping with previous years, most of the doctors presenting were in the 26-to-49 year-old category.

Separately, 16 individuals accessed counselling support from the Medical Council’s CAREhub service between November 2024 and March 2025, show figures supplied to this newspaper.

According to the Council, CAREhub is an independent, confidential service operated by Lyra Health International. It was launched in November 2024. The service, which is free of charge, provides mental health and wellbeing support to medical students, doctors, and members of the public engaged with the Council’s regulatory processes.

Sixteen people accessed counselling support either by telephone, online, or in person; 96 individuals “engaged with the service” via the CAREhub website and app; and 147 people attended informational webinars related to the service. The Council does not hold data on the categories of the people engaging with CAREhub. See news feature, p4-5.