Standards for 'Health for Health Professionals' services in the UK

Doctors are more likely to suffer from work-related mental ill-health than other professions in the UK and internationally. Services to support doctors with health problems are emerging in the UK and have diverse models of delivery and funding. Services should be able to demonstrate agreed standards of practice for those who wish to commission, develop or access them.

To develop consensus about standards for 'Health for Health Professionals' (HHP) services in the UK through a modified Delphi study.

We conducted a two-stage Delphi study over 6 months. The questionnaire development took place during the UK Association of Physician Health (UKAPH) meeting in London in 2012, an invited meeting for clinicians with a specific interest in the area of physician health. The final questionnaire was disseminated via the UKAPH database.

Forty-four people took part in round 1 and 40 in round 2. Participants were mainly GPs, occupational physicians and psychiatrists. Consensus was reached on major criteria for HHP services, with greatest consensus (45% agreement or greater) for four statements concerning the clarity and transparency of the services offered and one statement that anyone working within the service should have received suitable training in physician health. Consensus about some statements varied among the three specialities.

This study will assist discussion about providing and improving consistent services across the UK, while recognizing the flexibility required in view of geographical differences.