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nhsprachealth.bsky.social
NHS Practitioner Health
@nhsprachealth.bsky.social
200 followers 87 following 230 posts
Mental health and addiction treatment service for health and care professionals who cannot access confidential treatment from local services.

Tel: 0300 0303 300
For 24/7 crisis support text NHSPH to 85258.
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nhsprachealth.bsky.social
If you are struggling with your mental health, you are not alone. Practitioner Health's therapists are experts in understanding the struggles faced by those who work in the health and care sectors, and are able to help their patients get better and return to the job they love.
Feedback Friday: "As a healthcare professional, I have felt like an imposter for struggling with my own mental health. I felt able to let my guard down speaking to my clinician as they were very approachable, and did not work in my local area. I think this service is fantastic as it allows professionals to access support without fear and judgement. Massive thank you to my clinician and Practitioner Health."
November 21, 2025 at 6:30 PM
nhsprachealth.bsky.social
This #SelfCareWeek, why not try some new ways to manage stress, as suggested by members of our wonderful community! We would love to hear the ways that you practice self-care- share your tips in the comments!
Ways to Manage Stress: As Suggested by You! The Physiological Sigh Double inhale through the nose, hold your breath and then slowly breathe out through the mouth. Activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Wonderful! - @dranguspringle, Instagram Move your Body One way I like to get rid of in-the-moment stress is by moving my body in anyway that I can. Anything to use up the adrenaline and to come back into my body and out of my mind. - @emilyfulleylove_coach, Instagram Take a moment Stopping and tuning in with myself. Not just carrying on. Really focusing on what I need. - Victoria Zaslona, LinkedIn
November 20, 2025 at 6:00 PM
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Last year, PH Medical Director Dr Zaid Al-Najjar joined therapists Simon Lyne and Ruth Deighton to discuss how men can talk more about their mental health. #Movember

Listen here: bit.ly/4hZgapX
November 17, 2025 at 6:01 PM
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Don't suffer in silence. If you are a male health or care professional in England or Scotland and cannot access confidential mental health or addiction treatment from local services, register with us today: practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/ #Movember
Feedback Friday: Movember “I would like to convey a special thank you to my clinician for all his empathy, professionalism and humanity. It has truly been a privilege to be treated by such a kind, patient human being and amazing colleague. I contacted PH for a negative professional event but was unaware that I was living with depression for 16 years. My clinician identified this and did not give up until they were satisfied that they had brought out the best version that I could possibly be. I am now a completely different person who is now able to experience happiness and be a loving partner and proud dad.”
November 14, 2025 at 6:00 PM
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We are incredibly proud to announce that Practitioner Health's First Contact Team has won the 'Psychiatric Team of the Year: Working-age Adults' award at the RCPsych Awards, which was presented by Mike Nesbitt, Minister of Health for Northern Ireland.
Members of the Practitioner Health team pictured with the RcPsych Award.
November 13, 2025 at 6:30 PM
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This #Movember, learn about the pressures and barriers that may cause male health and care professionals to misuse substances with Practitioner Health Clinician Navneet Singh.
Why might male health and care professionals misuse alcohol or drugs? With Navneet Singh, Psychoanalyst and Group Facilitator, Practitioner Health • Health and care professional’s prolonged exposure to stress and trauma can trigger a need to find quick relief. • Access to medication, particularly GPs and anaesthetists. • The societal and personal expectations as a male to be able to deal with issues and situations without needing help, and the perception that health and care professionals should be able to manage their mental wellbeing whilst helping others. • The stigmatisation and shame around health and care professionals needing help. • Lack of work life balance, which can lead to burnout. • Perfectionism and constant comparisons with colleagues. • Male health and care professionals from certain backgrounds and cultures that stigmatise mental health and addiction and perceive men seeking help as weakness can prevent them from seeking support. • The imbalanced reinforcement of resilience in the NHS may cause male health and care professionals to try and manage their mental ill health by themselves in unhealthy ways. • Health and care professional’s adoption of the martyr identity: “I don’t matter as much”, “I’m here to help others”, “I shouldn’t be asking for help”. • Moral injury: NHS staff are trained to hold themselves to the highest standards of care. With resources becoming more scarce, often difficult decisions need to be made. This can create ethical and emotional dilemmas and leave one with feelings of guilt and shame.
November 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
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Today, join us in participating in a two minute silence to remember those who have lost their lives in world wars and other conflicts. #RemembranceDay
Lest we forget. Photograph of red poppy.
November 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
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Throughout the course of #Movember, we will be giving away 3 physical copies of the Practitioner Health Understanding and Managing Your Emotions Guide! To be in with a chance to win, follow this account, like this post, and share an easy way to look after your wellbeing in the comments!
Movember Giveaway: Win a physical copy of our guide! Cover of the ‘Understanding and Managing Your Emotions Guide and Toolkit for Health and Care Professionals’. 1. Follow this account 2. Like this post 3. Share an easy way for health and care professionals to look after their wellbeing in the comments! Deadline: Thursday 27th November, 5pm.
November 10, 2025 at 6:30 PM
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To mark the end of #StressAwarenessWeek, have a mindful moment before the week ahead with Joanna Howes, one of the Lead Clinicians at Practitioner Health! Listen here: bit.ly/PHWindingDow
Winding Down with Joanna Howes: Guided Mindfulness Resource Listen here: bit.ly/PHWindingDown
November 9, 2025 at 6:00 PM
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Physical movement is a great way to allow your body to process the stress it may be experiencing, as well as an opportunity to socialise with others. Learn more in the latest episode of Burnout and Beyond with PH Clinicians Dr Lee David and Dr Richard Duggins: bit.ly/4oMKlDD #StressAwarenessWeek
November 8, 2025 at 6:01 PM
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In the second episode of the Burnout and Beyond Podcast Series, Practitioner Health Clinicians Dr Lee David and Dr Richard Duggins discuss how to recover from burnout, and what helps us to live well in the long term. Listen here: bit.ly/4oMKlDD #StressAwarenessWeek
November 7, 2025 at 5:01 PM
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Here at Practitioner Health, our expert clinicians have the expertise to support health and care professionals with feelings of stress and burnout, and equip their patients with the skills to recognise and manage symptoms of stress when they arise. #StressAwarenessWeek
Patient Feedback: "Six months ago, I was feeling overwhelmed, helpless, and felt that I would never be able to return to work. Your service helped me to understand how my work approach had contributed to my burnout and that it was ok to feel this way. The support that I received has been phenomenal. My clinician took time to get to know me and explained all treatments that were available. I am back at work and have new strategies to ensure that I remain there. I cannot praise this service enough."
November 6, 2025 at 6:30 PM
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This #StressAwarenessDay, we are giving away a physical copy of the Understanding and Managing Your Emotions Guide by Practitioner Health! To be in with a chance to win, follow this account, like this post, and share how you manage feelings of stress in the comments!
Stress Awareness Day Giveaway: Win a physical copy of our guide! Cover of the ‘Understanding and Managing Your Emotions Guide and Toolkit for Health and Care Professionals’. 1. Follow this account 2. Like this post 3. Share how you manage feelings of stress in the comments! Deadline: Tuesday 11th November, 5pm.
November 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM
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In the health and care workforce, the colder months are synonymous with feelings of stress, pressure, low mood, and increasing workloads. Let us know how you seek support from your managers and colleagues in the comments! #StressAwarenessDay
The Power of Community: Managing Stress During the Winter Months With winter steadily approaching, many health and care professionals across the UK will be bracing themselves for increased pressures on the NHS. In the face of challenging workloads, it can be normal to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed. However, it is important that we learn how to notice the signs that we may be experiencing stress and equip ourselves with the skills to manage it before it evolves into burnout. Although stress can feel incredibly isolating at times, it may be helpful to remember that many of your colleagues will also be experiencing similar feelings. Creating a space to communicate your concerns and working with senior staff, managers, and colleagues to establish a plan that supports your wellbeing in the workplace can help to ease the feelings of stress you are experiencing. Community is a powerful tool to employ during times of adversity. Remember: A problem shared is a problem halved! • Take a walk with a colleague during your break • Ask your colleagues to have a hot drink or bite to eat with you • Check in with your team by asking how their day was • Create opportunities for conversation- ask your colleagues to share photographs or recipes of food they recently made via email or on a noticeboard • Introduce team check ins and team check outs, which can be used at the start or end of the shift, or at the start and end of meetings. One person asks a question, and each team member takes turns to respond. These can include questions such as ‘What one word sums up your mood today?’, and ‘What one thing are you doing to manage your wellbeing today?’ ‘Looking after your team’s health and wellbeing guide’, NHS England.
November 5, 2025 at 9:30 AM
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Do you know how to effectively manage feelings of stress when they arise? If you need a reminder, have a listen to Practitioner Health's podcast episode on Dealing with Stress as a Health and Care Professional here: bit.ly/PHStressPodc... #StressAwarenessWeek
November 4, 2025 at 6:30 PM
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This #Movember, don't suffer in silence. If you are a male health or care professional in England or Scotland and are unable to access confidential mental health or addiction treatment from local services, Practitioner Health may be right for you. Register here: bit.ly/4dNK39F
Movember is an annual campaign which highlights the topics that affect men’s health, which includes mental health and suicide. Although as of March 2023 only 35.4% of the NHS workforce are men, it is important to recognise that many of the barriers that prevent men from seeking support for their mental health or addiction misuse are also experienced by health and care professionals. Like men in the general population, health and care professionals are continually expected to be strong, tough, and resilient in the face of stress: in this case, working in demanding roles in the health and care system. Struggling with your mental health can be seen as a failure, and many choose to not seek support due to the fears of being judged by those around them. With 74% of individuals who died by suicide in England in 2024 being men, it is incredibly important that we work together to create a safe and supportive space within the healthcare workforce for male staff members to feel comfortable enough to reach out for the support they desperately need. One way this can be achieved is through raising awareness of our service through social media or contacting your local wellbeing lead. At Practitioner Health, we pride ourselves on prioritising the confidentiality of our patients. If you are a male health and care professional working in England or Scotland and cannot access treatment from local services due to a lack of confidentiality, Practitioner Health may be right for you. We are here to support you back to health in a safe, confidential, supportive, and non-judgemental space.
November 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM
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Practitioner Health's Understanding and Managing Your Emotions Guide is free wellbeing resource designed by health and care professionals, for health and care professionals. Access the guide here: www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/understandin...
“The Understanding and Managing your Emotions eBook by NHS Practitioner Health is a really helpful compilation of case studies and practical tools. Thank you for putting these in one place in a really relevant, accessible format. My team at MDDUS will be sharing this with all who attend our complaints handling, risk management, communication and professionalism topics. Understanding and modifying how you respond to challenging situations and human lapses is an essential part of maintaining emotional (and physical) wellbeing.”
November 2, 2025 at 6:30 PM
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As #BlackHistoryMonth comes to a close, we would like to champion a variety of organisations that support the black community through mentoring, community spaces, and programmes.
Black History Month: Organisations That Support the Black Community Organisations That Support the Black Community: - Therapy for Black Girls - 100 Black Men of London - Your New Avenue Organisations That Support the Black Community: - Black Minds Matter - Melanin Medics - The Black, African, and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN) - Florence Nightingale Foundation
October 31, 2025 at 6:30 PM
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PH's First Contact Team, who have been shortlisted in this year's RCPsych Awards, oversees all new patient registrations to our service. Learn more about the vital work that the First Contact Team does here: www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/research
The First Contact Team oversees all new registrations to the service, allowing NHS Practitioner Health to effectively manage the significant rise in patient activity over the past four years. Read more here: www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/research#publications
October 29, 2025 at 6:30 PM
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As health and care professionals, we are constantly expected to be perfect. When mistakes inevitably happen, it can be common to experience feelings of guilt and shame. Learn how to work through these difficult emotions in Practitioner Health's eBook: bit.ly/Understandin...
Understanding and Managing Your Emotions eBook, p.45-49 bit.ly/UnderstandingEmotionsEbook Understanding and Managing Your Emotions eBook, p.45-49 bit.ly/UnderstandingEmotionsEbook Understanding and Managing Your Emotions eBook, p.45-49 bit.ly/UnderstandingEmotionsEbook
October 27, 2025 at 8:00 AM
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The Practitioner Health Touched by Suicide Navigation Guide includes a collection of messages of hope which you can read or share with others who may be suffering with mental ill health. Access the guide here: bit.ly/PHNavigation...
A Message of Hope from a Doctor Who Stayed. Read here: www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/hope-and-remembrance A Message of Hope from a Doctor Who Stayed. Read here: www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/hope-and-remembrance A Message of Hope from a Doctor Who Stayed. Read here: www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/hope-and-remembrance A Message of Hope from a Doctor Who Stayed. Read here: www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/hope-and-remembrance
October 26, 2025 at 6:00 PM
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PH clinician Dr Richard Duggins joined an episode of the You Are Not a Frog Podcast to showcase his expertise on burnout - how it arises when pressures overwhelm your support systems and how spotting the signs of burnout early can make all the difference. Listen here: youarenotafrog.com/episodes/287
Why "Keep Calm and Carry On" Fuels Burnout with PH Clinician Dr Richard Duggins. Listen here: bit.ly/YouAreNotAFrog287
October 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM
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As a health and care professional, working in a high-stakes environment can cause you to feel anxious for extended periods of time. It's important that we can all equip ourselves with the skills to deal with anxiety when it arises. For more tips, read our free eBook here: bit.ly/4nHLHi6
Tools to Deal with Anxiety Feeling anxious often arises from the anticipation of an undesired outcome. Many individuals in healthcare, particularly those who are perfectionists, continuously seek control and certainty. This need for predictability can fuel anxiety. People who suffer from anxiety tend to concentrate on potential threats and focus on the negative. Their minds are filled with “what ifs?” and thoughts like, “What if today is a horrendous day?” Anxiety often intensifies in anticipation of the threat, diminishes during the actual event, but then returns afterwards. Read more here: bit.ly/4nHLHi6 Tools to Deal with Anxiety • The first step is to become more aware of your feelings and acknowledge them. • Reflect on them and accept their existence (as they are not disappearing anyway). • Be wary of permissive excuses, such as, “I can’t deal with this right now; I’ll postpone it until I feel ready.” • Consider why it's worth enduring this uncomfortable feeling • Remind yourself that important goals can often be challenging to attain. • Notice when you engage in this unhelpful behaviour. Think of a few examples from the past week where you felt you became intolerant. • Remember to calm your body. Techniques like box breathing (See Chapter Six), stretching, or grounding exercises (such as 5-4-3-2-1) can help soothe the nervous system. Read more on pages 37-41: bit.ly/4nHLHi6
October 24, 2025 at 7:00 AM
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We are incredibly pleased to announce that NHS Practitioner Health's founder, Professor Dame @claregerada.bsky.social, has been appointed as a Life Peer in the House of Lords in recognition of her outstanding service to medicine and mental health. Read more here: bit.ly/4nXybap
Photograph of Professor Dame Clare Gerada NHS Practitioner Health is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Dame Clare Gerada as a Life Peer in the House of Lords in recognition of her outstanding service to medicine and mental health. “At Practitioner Health, we are immensely proud of what Clare has achieved in her career, as well as her continual dedication to her profession and the wider workforce. Thanks to her determination and drive, thousands of clinicians have been helped, and many careers and lives have been saved. We know Dame Clare will continue to push forward the agenda that our workforce is the driving force of the NHS, and that healthy and happy staff will bring about the best results for all of us.” – Lucy Warner, CEO of Practitioner Health
October 23, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by NHS Practitioner Health
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This #WorldMentalHealthDay, we encourage our members and the wider public health and healthcare workforce to reflect on how they can protect their own mental health while supporting others.

Explore NHS Practitioner Health’s new resource and FPH's Workforce Wellbeing: www.fph.org.uk/professional...
October 10, 2025 at 1:27 PM