Adam Kay backs urgent call for dedicated mental health services for Northern Ireland doctors

Adam Kay pictured at the Doctors in Distress Plague along with Dr Emma Murtagh, Vice Chair (Policy) of RCGP NI and Dr Rose McCullagh, a Doctors in Distress Ambassador. (Photo credit Phil Smyth)

A stark warning over the mental health crisis facing doctors in Northern Ireland has been amplified by bestselling author and former NHS doctor Adam Kay, who has described the lack of dedicated support as “nothing short of shameful”.

The BAFTA-winning writer visited Belfast on Tuesday to join senior medical leaders in calling for urgent action to establish a fully commissioned mental health service for healthcare professionals — something Northern Ireland currently lacks.

Despite growing pressures on the health system, Northern Ireland remains the only part of the UK and Ireland without a dedicated, confidential practitioner health service for doctors.

“A crisis that can no longer be ignored”

Bestselling author and former NHS doctor Adam Kay

Speaking during his visit to the Royal College of General Practitioners Northern Ireland (RCGP NI), Kay said he was shocked to discover the gap in provision.

“I hadn’t realised until a recent tour of Northern Ireland that there is no dedicated commissioned mental health service for NHS clinicians. I’m afraid to say that this is nothing short of shameful and needs to be urgently addressed.

“There is an ongoing crisis relating to burnout and suicide among NHS staff — a fact which is finally beginning to be addressed in England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland through the provision of dedicated support services.

“I sincerely hope that Northern Ireland will follow suit, and give healthcare workers the support they desperately need.”

His comments come as new and existing data continues to paint a troubling picture of working conditions for doctors in the region.

Mounting pressure on Northern Ireland’s doctors

Figures show that 26% of doctors in Northern Ireland are at high risk of burnout — significantly higher than the UK average of 18%.

Meanwhile, more than half (54%) say they struggle to provide adequate care to patients at least once a week, compared to 40% across the UK.

GPs are among the hardest hit, with 60% reporting difficulties delivering care on a weekly basis.

Dr Emma Murtagh, Vice Chair of RCGP NI, said the pressures facing doctors are both professional and deeply personal.

“Doctors work under huge and often constant pressure. The stress of clinical work stays with you, not professionally, but also personally.

“Doctors in Northern Ireland are not immune — we are just as vulnerable to burnout, mental illness and addiction and the evidence shows that we are struggling even more than colleagues elsewhere in the UK.

“Northern Ireland has the longest waiting lists and the highest levels of deprivation in the UK. We also have the highest prescribing rates of antidepressants, shaped by the legacy of a 30-year conflict, the trauma passed through generations, and the deep social and economic challenges that continue today.

Doctors are not immune to any of this.”

“Nowhere to turn” for support

Medical leaders say the absence of a commissioned practitioner health service leaves doctors without a clear pathway to confidential care.

Dr Ursula Mason, Chair of RCGP NI, said:

“GPs, and indeed all doctors in NI feel like they have nowhere to turn when they need mental health support, because the dedicated service they need simply isn’t there.

“Doctors and other healthcare professionals deserve more than resilience; they deserve a dedicated Practitioner Health service that looks after them with the same commitment they show to their patients every single day.”

Although the charity Doctors in Distress expanded its services into Northern Ireland in 2025, leaders stress that this does not replace the need for a fully funded, commissioned system.

Mary-Jane Roberts, Chief Executive of the charity, said:

“We are in a situation where the very real needs of doctors in Northern Ireland are not being met.

“The population needs doctors who are provided with correct mental health services and provision. We appreciate the leadership role the RCGP NI is taking and add our voice to the call for the long overdue provision of practitioner health services in Northern Ireland.”

A growing movement for change

Doctors in Distress ambassador Dr Rose McCullagh, a Belfast-based GP, said collaboration is key to delivering long-term change.

“We remain firmly committed to working together to ensure that Northern Ireland has a fully functioning, sustainable practitioner health service that supports the wellbeing of doctors and all healthcare professionals.

“The support that Doctors in Distress provides for healthcare professionals in NI is invaluable, but a fully commissioned practitioner health scheme is essential.”

Dr Murtagh added that parity with the rest of the UK must now be the goal:

“Doctors in Northern Ireland deserve the same level of support, protection, and care as their colleagues across the UK.”

Why this matters for local communities

Healthcare leaders warn that failing to address doctors’ mental health will have direct consequences for patient care across Northern Ireland — including in areas like Ballymena already facing long waiting lists and service pressures.

Research cited by campaigners shows suicide risk among healthcare professionals has been 24% higher than the general population, underlining the urgency of intervention.

As calls grow louder, the message from frontline doctors and campaigners is clear: supporting those who care for others is no longer optional — it is essential to sustaining the entire health system.

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At a glance

• Adam Kay visited Belfast to highlight the lack of mental health services for doctors

• Northern Ireland is the only UK region without a commissioned practitioner health service

• 26% of NI doctors are at high risk of burnout (UK average: 18%)

• 54% struggle to provide adequate patient care weekly

• GPs are the most affected group, with 60% reporting weekly pressures

• Doctors in Distress expanded to NI in 2025, but gaps remain

• Leaders say doctors feel they have “nowhere to turn” for support

• Suicide risk among healthcare workers is significantly higher than average

• Calls are growing for urgent, fully funded mental health services

• Campaigners warn patient care will suffer without action