The Doctors in Distress Story

Doctors in Distress was founded in 2019 by Amandip Sidhu following the suicide of his brother Jagdip. Jagdip was a consultant cardiologist. He was overworked, burned out and felt he had nowhere to turn. He believed taking his life was the only answer.

Amandip established the charity so no other healthcare worker would have to experience the same pain as Jagdip.

At the time of writing, healthcare workers are facing immense pressure. A 2023 survey shows that 34% of staff are suffering from burnout and 37.4% are emotionally exhausted because of work and the mental impact of the pandemic is still being felt by many on a daily basis.

At Doctors in Distress we strongly believe in the power of talking. This is why we have set up our peer support groups – spaces where healthcare workers can access support away from work and speak with other people experiencing the same stresses. Our groups are a place to share, to reflect, to receive advice and to support others.

We are also working with decision makers to ensure that mental health support is prioritised for all healthcare workers. Whilst the stigma around talking about mental health remains, change will be limited. We are working with leaders to facilitate transformational change within the healthcare sector to support staff and reduce the stigma.