This is a multi-centre qualitative study aiming to explore what helps and hinders General Practitioners (GPs) when they seek help and support for mental health problems and/or stress and burnout. Doctors, including GPs, are more likely to experience reduced well-being and mental health symptoms, including anxiety, low mood, depression, high stress and burnout. Despite this, evidence suggests that the NHS workforce, including doctors, have insufficient access and face barriers to mainstream healthcare provision for such problems.

To date, little research has focused on the mental health of the NHS workforce, including doctors working in general practice. Undertaking this research will therefore enable us to understand the barriers and facilitators to help-seeking, and to identify solutions, so that current and future GPs can access suitable care and support when necessary.

Our methodology will employ qualitative methods, using in-depth interviews, to explore the barriers and facilitators to help-seeking by GPs.

This project is funded by the NIHR's School for Primary Care Research.