Behind the News: Dr Íde Delargy, professional health advocate

Doctors, dentists and pharmacists suffer just as much from mental-health and substance-abuse problems as the rest of us, according to Íde Delargy. “The problem is that it’s much more difficult for them to access help,” says Dr Delargy, a GP in Blackrock, Co Dublin, who will lead Ireland’s first free independent treatment programme for this group of health professionals.

“Most doctors allow the problem to develop and escalate, so they are already in crisis, with everything on the edge – their professional practice and their family life, maybe with a life partner about to leave – when they seek help.”

According to Delargy, who developed Practitioner Health Matters, a programme that was launched this week, the stigma of having any type of psychiatric problem remains the greatest barrier to doctors seeking help. “Doctors have no problems seeking help for physical-health problems, but they are slow to reach out to their peers for help with mental-health or substance-abuse problems.”

Delargy says that getting treatment early is crucial for both patient safety and doctors’ own health. She urges practitioners to take a lead in seeking help for themselves or colleagues.

Research has found that doctors, dentists and pharmacists are more likely to abuse prescription medicines than illegal drugs. “We offer the programme to this group of practitioners together because they have this special access to prescription medicines,” says Delargy.

Drug or alcohol abuse accounts for about half of the issues that doctors need help with; mental-health issues make up 40 per cent. A small percentage of medical professionals abuse alcohol and drugs, according to Irish figures.

“The key is to present early and for us to intervene early. The longer the delay the more entrenched the problems become, and the person is out of work for longer,” she says.

Middle-aged, midcareer male doctors and young woman doctors with young families are those who seek help in greatest numbers.

Delargy’s programme, which replaces the Sick Doctor scheme, is funded through the medical, dental and pharmaceutical associations, and has been approved by the Medical Council. “With this free programme we want doctors to feel safe in coming forward to have their needs addressed in a nonjudgmental and confidential way.”

The Practitioner Health Matters programme begins at the Dean Clinic in Sandyford, Co Dublin, on Monday, September 7th; practitionerhealth.ie