Support Services

OHO/AHPRA: concerns about practitioners.

Medical Indemnity Providers

Avant: Avant Personal Support Program enables Avant members to access a central plank of up to 6 sessions of confidential counselling provided by Benester.

MDA National: Doctors for Doctors Program is a confidential peer support service for Members during a medico-legal matter. Professional Support provides Members with complimentary, confidential access to a Psychiatrist who can support and guide you during a complaint or investigation.

MIGA: The Practitioners’ Support Service is available to doctors insured with MIGA who may be suffering emotionally as a consequence of being the subject of an investigation or a claim for compensation.

MIPS: MIPS Assist, a unique benefit which provides discretionary assistance for your clinical activities not otherwise covered by insurance.

Resources:

Medico-Legal Issues 

PHN Member Assistance Program: The PHN is pleased to provide access to its Member Assistance Program (MAP) for employees of General Practices and Allied Health Practices working and residing in the Hunter, New England and Central Coast region. Employees can access three (3) free, voluntary, confidential counselling sessions. Telehealth sessions are available.

Your Hospital and Health Service (HHS) may have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available, eg. Queensland Health EAP.

• Your local HR department may have other supports available.
  
• Support will be available from your Medical Education Unit (MEU) and Director of Clinical Training (DCT)
• Traning hospitals may have Welfare Advocates

ASMOFQ is a not-for-profit membership organisation that exists to improve the working lives of salaried doctors across Queensland.

Resources:

Critical Incident Support (CIS) 

After a Major Anaesthetic Mishap 

Difficult Experiences When Working in Tough Times 

Training and Examinations 

Mentoring 

Anaesthesia and Family Responsibilities 

Retirement and Late Career Options for the older professional 

The Trainee Returning to Work 

Bullying, Discrimination and Sexual Harassment 

Sexual Misconduct 

RACGP GP Support Program EAP service operated by LifeWorks by Morneau Shepell

RACP RACP Support Program EAP service operated by Converge International

RACS RACS Support Program EAP service operated by Converge International

ANZCA 

• • Doctors' Support Program EAP service operated by Converge International
  • Wellbeing SIG
  • Doctors' Health and Wellbeing Framework

RANZCP 

• • Member Welfare Support Line (Calls are separate to the main College telephone line and are answered by the Support Manager. If appropriate, callers are put in touch with a Support Fellow)
  • Support for Members

ACRRM ACRRM Support Resources and EAP service

RANZCOG RANZCOG Support Resources and EAP service

ACEM ACEM Assist and Resources

CICM CICM Support and Resources

AOA AOA Support and Resources

RANZCO RANZCO Support and Resources

RANZCR RANZCR Support and Resources

RACMA RACMA Support and Resources

ACD ACD Support and Resources

AMA Council of Doctors in Training: Advocating for issues of importance to doctors in training.

• AMA QLD Council of Doctors in Training: Advocating for QLD doctors in training.

Medical Student Society Contact Details

Australian Medical Students Association: The Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) is the peak representative body for Australian medical students.

National Rural Health Student Network:

• When the cowpat hits the windmill: a mental health guide, written by students for students and last updated June 2019.

Medi-Nav: A QLD Health initiative to help you to compare specialites

Medical Career Planning: Career counselling for doctors and medical students. Available one on one or via a self paced online course.

Creative Careers in Medicine: Engaging, enhancing and advocating for medical professionals who want to take control of their careers in Australasia and beyond.

DRS4DRS

DRS4DRS has been developed by the medical profession for the medical profession. Through our network of doctors’ health advisory and referral services, we offer an independent, safe, supportive and confidential service. DRS4DRS promotes the health and wellbeing of doctors and medical students across Australia. We’re here to help you find the support you need – online resources, referral services and importantly for wellbeing, we’ll help you find a GP.

Australasian Doctors' Health Network: Established as an independent network of doctors' health services across Australia and New Zealand.

Links to other state and territory doctors’ health services:

• Victorian Doctors Health Program (also covers Tas)
• Doctors’ Health South Australia
• Doctors’ Health Advisory Service (NSW) (also covers ACT)
• Doctors’ Health Northern Territory
• Doctors’ Health Advisory Service Western Australia

Medical Benevolent Association of Queensland (MBAQ): The Association provides financial assistance to help medical practitioners through crises.

AMA Queensland Foundation: a charitable organisation, established in 2000 by the medical profession, as a means of relieving sickness, suffering and disability among Queenslanders in need.

Australian Doctors in Recovery: A doctors’ mutual support group in recovery from addiction to alcohol and other substances.

International Doctors in Alcoholics Anonymous (IDAA): is a worldwide fellowship of more than 9,900 healthcare professionals and their families who strive to help one another to achieve and maintain recovery from addictions.

Resources:

Suspected or Proven Substance Abuse (MISUSE) 

Impairment in a Colleague 

StandBy - Support After Suicide: StandBy is Australia’s leading suicide postvention program dedicated to assisting people and communities bereaved or impacted by suicide.

Resources:

After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Physician Residency/Fellowship Programs

EveryMind: Understanding Suicide

General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration: After suicide: A resource for GPs

A Managers Guideline for the Sudden Death of a Colleague 

Responding to the death by suicide of a colleague in Primary Care 

Smiling Mind is an app to support mental health and wellbeing.

Head to Health: If you’re trying to improve your own mental health, or support somebody else with mental health issues, Head to Health provides links to trusted Australian online and phone supports, resources and treatment options.

Black Dog Institute: Creating a mentally healthier world through the translation of research.

Crazy Socks 4 Docs: Help raise awareness of the mental health of doctors and health professionals.

R U OK?: is a suicide prevention charity in Australia, encouraging all of us to notice the signs of mental health struggle in friends, family, and colleagues.

Beyondblue’s Health Services Program: The aim of the Health Services Program is to address the prevalence of anxiety, depression and suicide in staff working in health services across Australia.

TEN- The Essential Network for Health Professionals:  TEN connects health workers to a network of essential resources and support to manage stress and maintain good mental health.

E-Mental Health in Practice (eMHprac):  A Guide to Digital Mental Health Resources.

This Way Up: Learn practical tools to take care of your mental health.

MoodGym: An interactive self-help book which helps you to learn and practise skills which can help to prevent and manage symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Resources:

Personal Health Issues and Strategies  

Depression and Anxiety 

Doctors with Disabilities – Australia (DWDA) provides advocacy and peer support on matters associated with medical study and doctors practising with a disability.

Hand-n-Hand: A bi-national peer support network for healthcare professionals.

RACGP Peer Support Groups: The Practice to Practice pilot program aims to link up practices and GPs which are based in different Modified Monash Model (MMM) areas, and to encourage a mutually beneficial relationship to develop between them.  This relationship could include: opportunities for coaching and mentoring, locum opportunities, exposure to different skills and services, peer to peer support, problem solving, and remote telehealth workforce support.  Each relationship will be different, depending on the needs of the practices. 

Resources:

PEER SUPPORT: a brief guide by Kym Jenkins, Karen Gaunson, Margie Stuchbery and Brett McDermott to aid those setting up individual or group peer support.

Relationships Australia: Relationships Australia is a leading provider of relationship support services for individuals, families and communities.

1800 Respect: National sexual assault, domestic family violence counselling service.

Australian Medical Lesbian Association: Supporting women who are lesbian or same-sex attracted doctors and medical students in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

LGBTIQ Intersect: Building culturally safe and inclusive communities.

Rainbow Med: an arm of UQMS by and for LGBTQIA2S+ medical students. Our main focus areas are academics, advocacy and community building, and we’re here to help support the LGBTQIA2S+ student body. We are primarily here for queer-identifying (or questioning) and gender diverse students, but we also provide academic opportunities for everyone! 

DocLIST: is an online list of doctors and mental health professionals who have been recommended by lesbian and bisexual women in Australia.

MCA: MCA designs and delivers tailored education programs to meet the learning needs of health practitioners and health care workers for professional standards or behaviours such as communication, clinical documentation or ethical decision making.

Cognitive Institute: Cognitive Institute develops and delivers a range of consultancy educational solutions for healthcare professionals and organisations around the world.  

ASPM Case Consultation Groups: Allow a small group of clinicians (maximum of eight) to participate in a facilitated case consultation.

Balint Groups: Structured clinical reflective practice groups.

Beauty Within Medicine: To revolutionise medical education by breaking down stigma and celebrating diversity and equality in medicine, creating a worldwide community of more informed health professionals.

WRaPEM: WRaP EM is a group of ordinary but passionate clinicians and medical educators who want to promote the concepts of Wellness, Resilience and Performance, from being considered “the soft stuff” to becoming a core part of Emergency Medicine practice.

MedicGuild: Latest resources and conversations created by and for medical students and doctors, from OSCEs to medical specialties we demystify the medical journey.

Queensland Medical Women's Society: The Queensland Medical Women’s Society is a not for profit organisation dedicated to supporting medical women and advocating for equitable health for all, especially women and children. 

Medical Women's International Association: MWIA is an association of medical women and students representing women doctors from all six continents and eight regions.

Pandemic Kindness Movement: The Pandemic Kindness Movement was created by clinicians across Australia, working together to support all health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Frontliners: Supporting those who are caring for people during the COVID-19 crisis.

askizzy.org.au   Ask Izzy is a mobile website that connects people who are in crisis with the services they need right now and nearby.