Doctors in Distress is a British charity established in 2019 with a primary mission to reduce the prevalence of burnout and suicides among healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom.
Doctors in Distress is dedicated to raising awareness of the significant pressures faced by medical practitioners and fostering more compassionate and supportive work environments where healthcare professionals can openly discuss challenges such as stress and mental health.
It works to influence decision makers to prioritise positive transformational change to provide robust mental health support for healthcare workers.
BAFTA awarding winning author and former doctor Adam Kay joined the organisation as a patron in 2023, bringing further attention to the cause through his bestselling book and advocacy for mental well-being in the medical field.
In the fictionalised television adaptation of Adam Kay’s memoir This is Going to Hurt, the storyline follows a doctor who dies by suicide and subsequently a memorial tree is planted for her.