MPS launches counselling service for South African members

The Medical Protection Society (MPS) is to launch a counselling service for its South African members, providing much-needed support during the highly stressful experience of facing a complaint, clinical negligence claim, or HPCSA investigation.

The new service will facilitate face-to-face counselling sessions – funded by MPS – close to a doctor’s residence or their place of work. The counselling service will be provided by Independent Counselling and Advisory Services Southern Africa (ICAS), a nationwide company specialising in counselling support for professional organisations. The service – provided by fully qualified, trained and registered psychologists or, where appropriate, social workers – is entirely confidential.

Dr Graham Howarth, MPS Head of Medical Services in South Africa, said: “Stress and anxiety is a feature of everyday life for people in all professions, but the many demands placed on medical professionals put them under particular pressure. Doctors – who are, perhaps, already strong self-critics – often feel the weight of shame from letting their performance slip below their own high standards”.

Dr Howarth added: “The pressures facing those working within healthcare are unique – the consequences of even the smallest error can be devastating. When things do go wrong, depression is commonly seen, and in extreme cases, doctors have given up their profession or even contemplated suicide”.

Members in South Africa are set to benefit from a service that will directly address the key issues – such as emotional difficulties and reactions – and enable stressed doctors to deal with their experiences of claims or complaints more easily.

Notes to Editors

1. More information about the Counselling Service is available here.
2. The new counselling service will be offered to members as a benefit from March 2009.
3. Members can access the service by calling MPS medico legal consultants Dr Liz Meyer on (27) 082 653 5755 or Dr Tony Behrman on (27) 083 270 7439.