What is the Trainee Development and Wellbeing Service?
The Trainee Development and Wellbeing Service (TDWS) is a confidential source of support for all doctors in training. Our goal is to offer support in a holistic, non-judgemental manner to doctors who are experiencing difficulties that may be affecting their training progression or wellbeing.
Who is it for?
The TDWS can be accessed by any Doctor in training in Scotland.
What is our role?
We understand that doctors in training may experience significant challenges due to their professional and training responsibilities, and the challenges that arise when juggling busy working lives with training requirements such as high stakes postgraduate examinations. In addition, many doctors experience significant life events during training, such as starting a family, bereavement or caring for relatives. We know that there are other factors that can also impact the wellbeing of doctors in training including mental or physical health conditions, and neurodivergence. Important career decisions and the need for flexible working patterns are other areas where doctors in training may require additional support. TDWS aims to support doctors in training to adapt to challenges that arise and to achieve their full potential and maintain and optimise wellbeing.
What can the TDWS offer me?
We offer support for a range of issues which may be affecting you. These include, but are not limited to, direct support or signposting to resources for mental health and neurodivergent conditions, exam support, less than full time working, and careers guidance. We can help you to navigate the complex challenges around returning to work after a significant absence. We also have direct access to funded services which include psychological support for workplace or exam related anxiety, coaching and needs assessments for neurodiverse conditions and dyslexia screening and/or assessment. We are not able to offer diagnostic assessment for ADHD or autism.
What to expect from TDWS?
Once we have received your contact form you will be contacted by a member of our team. You may be signposted to appropriate resources or offered an appointment to discuss your situation further. This may be with our Wellbeing and Support Manager or an Associate Postgraduate Dean. Our team are an empathic and compassionate group of individuals and have a genuine interest in the wellbeing of doctors in training. They have expertise in supporting doctors facing challenges and are able to signpost and/or arrange additional tailored support when relevant.
We aim to respond to online submissions within 3 working days. If required, a one-on-one support meeting with a TDWS APGD should take place within 1 month, with at least 1 weeks’ notice to allow planning around clinical activities.
What are the appointment practicalities?
Appointments are held on Microsoft Teams and last up to 60 minutes. Face to face appointments are available if specifically requested. Because of the often emotional and confidential nature of these meetings, we suggest that you ensure a private space for your appointment. If your supervisor is aware of your referral, we would expect that you will be supported with time off clinical commitments to attend the meeting away from work, in the privacy of your own home, for example. If you are unable to attend your appointment, we would be extremely grateful if you could let us know in advance; each appointment slot is valuable and could be offered to another doctor in training.
What will happen with my personal information?
An agreed record of the meeting is created and shared with you. We will then, with your permission, routinely share this summary with your Educational Supervisor and Training Programme Director in order that the recommendations for support can be considered. Occasionally it is appropriate to share the summary with other named individuals; again, this would only be done with your permission. We will seek your confirmation to share and advise that if you do not respond within 7 days, we will automatically share the record of meeting with the named individuals. The record is held confidentially on file with restricted access. It is not linked to your training record or portfolio.
The only time information would be shared without your consent is where there is a concern for the safety of the doctor in training or the safety of another person. In the rare occasion of this being necessary, you would be made aware of this and supported through the process.
How to get in touch with us
We recommend that you discuss your concerns with your Educational Supervisor in the first instance.
There are a number of resources to support doctors with common difficulties on our website here: https://www.scotlanddeanery.nhs.scot/trainer-information/trainee-development-andwellbeing-service/
If you feel that you require more in depth support and that meeting with a member of our team would be helpful, please feel free to get in touch through the contact form on our website here: https://www.scotlanddeanery.nhs.scot/trainee-development-and-wellbeing-service/contact-us-trainee-form/
Crisis support
If you are experiencing distressing thoughts or if anyone around you has expressed concern about your wellbeing, you should arrange an urgent appointment with your GP or call NHS 24 on 111 to access mental health support which is available 24/7.
Further information on crisis support and broader mental health and wellbeing support can be found here: https://www.scotlanddeanery.nhs.scot/trainee-development-and-wellbeing-service/wellbeing-health/
This page was last updated on: 02.10.2024 at 13.52
