Honouring Loved Ones

Today, we join everyone in the healthcare community in remembering those colleagues, friends and loved ones whom we have lost to suicide.

Being a healthcare worker can be incredibly demanding: workforce shortages, increasing workloads and the expectation that we should remain stoic in the face of adversity can take a real toll over time.

Struggling with difficult circumstances is not a sign of failure: work and life pressures can become too much for any of us, and it is through our shared experience and the generosity of our community that we can regain hope for the future.

If you find yourself in a tough spot, please reach out to a trusted colleague, friend or family member, or make use of the support available to you through NHS Practitioner Health, Doctors in Distress or the Samaritans. Your workplace and professional body will also have resources and other ways to help.

Most importantly, remember that you are not alone: you are a valued, essential part of a community of people who understand what you are going through and who are ready to listen and help you find a way forward.