Referred Counselling Service
Peninsula Postgraduate Medical Education provides an independent and free short-term counselling service for all doctors in training within the South West Peninsula. This service is designed to offer timely independent support should support service provided by your GP and/or employers is delayed.
Counselling is a simple but effective way of dealing with issues; stress and pressure of life. Just being able to talk things through with an accredited counsellor independently and in a non-judgemental way may help us enhance our job performance.
You may have experienced behaviour that appears to be unfair or biased or you may feel that you just cannot cope with your workload. At these times, it can be useful to talk to someone about how you feel and the best way forward.
Often, just the act of talking can help to ease pressure and stress and enable us to cope, simply because, as we start to talk, more issues surface and can be dealt with in a positive way.
Access to Service
In the first instance you should arrange a Trainee Support meeting with one of our Associate Deans, you can do this by contacting PenTraineeSupport.SW@hee.nhs.uk. Counsellors are available within 25 miles of each NHS Trust. You will be expected to travel to see the counsellor. The aim is to offer to meet within one week, but not more than 3 weeks, of the first contact (to allow for holidays, sickness, etc.)
Cost
There is no financial cost for up to six sessions to the individual as the service is free to all doctors in training in the Peninsula Postgraduate Medical Education.
Further sessions are available if required however these will need to be funded by the individual in a separate arrangement with the counsellor.
Please note: There is an expectation that you will have tried to access free counselling services via your employer or GP prior to using this service; accessing this service via these routes is usually confidential and also free.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is of vital and fundamental importance to the counselling service we use and this will be discussed at the first session.
It is important that everyone realises that no-one will ‘report back’ to your employer that you have needed to access the service; the concerns you wish to discuss will remain between you and the counsellor unless you choose otherwise.
Please note: for auditing purposes and financial probity ONLY it is necessary for the Peninsula Postgraduate Medical Education Office to be informed.