It is well recognised that using the normal healthcare pathways is often difficult for doctors, dentists and pharmacists. Treating these professionals can also be challenging. Practitioners often delay in seeking help and resort to self-management and self-medication. There are many reasons for this delayed approach and cultural issues within healthcare plays its part: admitting to being unwell, feeling stressed, difficulty coping with the workload as well as simply scheduling time off to seek medical help are all factors which contribute to poor practices.

Reluctance to recognise and acknowledge a problem with mental health, alcohol or substance use can be even more difficult for practitioners: feelings of shame, guilt, stigma, fears around confidentiality and fears for their future ability to practise result in practitioners not seeking help in these circumstances. This often results in them presenting when their problems are more severe or sometimes when they are in crisis. The Practitioner Health Matters Programme is a service specifically designed to look after the needs of practitioners. It is a strictly confidential service which recognises the complexities of why practitioners may delay in declaring they have a problem and can provide the time, care and support a practitioner may need. The programme focus is to support the practitioner in difficulty rather than reporting them to their employer or regulator allowing them to access the medical help they need to restore them to full health and functioning.