Background: The Practitioner Health Programme (PHP) was developed to provide expert assessment and support to practitioners (doctors and dentists) with mental and physical health problems affecting their ability to work.
Aims: This paper examines the treatment outcomes of the practitioner-patients utilising PHP.
Method: We assessed outcomes on consecutive patients using the PHP. The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Outcome Measure and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale were completed at initial assessment, 8- and 26-week follow-up. We also report the percentages of practitioner-patients off work at each interval, and examine global improvement and satisfaction scores for both follow-up intervals.
Results: Two hundred practitioner-patients entered PHP due to a mental health or substance abuse problem and subsequently completed questionnaires at baseline; 102 patients returned questionnaires after 8 weeks and 95 returned questionnaires after 26 weeks. Results suggested that patients reported less distress and less impairment of functioning at 8 and 26 weeks. Scores for satisfaction and global improvement were consistently high.
Conclusions: The PHP is providing a valuable service to practitioner-patients, significantly helping to decrease levels of distress and improve work and social functioning.