The NHS is the largest employer in the UK with over 1.2 million healthcare workers. Sadly, stress, burnout and mental illness in these healthcare heroes is rising and occurring earlier in their careers with 63% of trainees found to be at moderate or high risk or burnout (The GMC, 2022). And even more tragically, several healthcare workers die by suicide each year.

I am a proud Trustee of Doctors in Distress, the leading national charity working to a) nurture the mental health and well being of healthcare workers and to b) prevent suicides in healthcare workers.

Having lost colleagues to suicide, I am particularly passionate about this cause. And hence, I am cycling across France from the 14th-22nd September. I will be riding from the English Channel to the Mediterranean sea, a distance of over 1000 kms from Caen to Montpellier with 12 NHS colleagues to raise awareness of the good work being done by Doctors in Distress to support NHS colleagues with stress, burnout and mental illness.

I am also hoping to raise £20,000 which will help Doctors in Distress conduct support groups for vulnerable colleagues and provide life-saving help to them.

Please do follow us on our journey, regular updates will be given via Doctors in Distress' social media.