Vetlife Health Support provides free help from experienced mental health professionals to vets and nurses experiencing mental health difficulties, including, but not limited to:

  • stress
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • alcohol and drug misuse
  • eating disorders
  • trauma

Our mental health professionals will offer advice, an assessment and where necessary, case management by guiding and supporting you to ensure you get the care that you need.

Who are the Vetlife Health Support team?

Vetlife Health Support is made up of a team of professionals: psychiatrists, mental health nurses, and therapists who have many years of experience working in mental health.

Their recommendations will be based on what has been proven to be successful, backed up by the latest evidence and research. The Vetlife Health Support team regularly gets excellent anonymous feedback from the individuals they support, expressing their appreciation of the advice, support and care they receive from mental health professionals who understand the challenges that the veterinary community face.

How do I access Vetlife Health Support?

  • Please call Vetlife Helpline on 0303 040 2551 or send an anonymous email via Helpline.vetlife.org.uk. The trained helpers at Vetlife Helpline will then facilitate referral to the Vetlife Health Support team in one of two ways. They will either take your name and contact details (and ideally a few details about your difficulties), and pass the relevant information on to Vetlife Health Support for you, or
  • provide you with an email address that you can use to contact Vetlife Health Support yourself if you prefer not to give your name to the Helpline.

Where appropriate, the Vetlife Helpline will also advise you on how to get urgent help from your local NHS services if you are experiencing a mental health crisis. Vetlife Health Support is not able to provide emergency crisis support and Vetlife would always recommend this is accessed via local NHS services.

What happens after you are referred to Vetlife Health Support?

The Vetlife Health Support team will make contact with you, via email or telephone, to offer you a telephone appointment to talk to one of their qualified mental health professionals. This appointment will be offered within five working days of the team receiving your contact details. If you are unable to accept the first appointment offered, the team will work with you to find an alternative date and time for your appointment.

You will also be registered with the Vetlife Health Support Wellness Service which will send you an email with a short survey (it only takes a few minutes to complete). The answers you provide will help the team in assessing and monitoring your mental health needs.

How will the Vetlife Health Support team help me?

Following initial assessment of your needs, they may:

  • offer health and lifestyle advice, with supporting literature if appropriate
  • recommend a course of evidence-based therapy, which the team can help to organise
  • recommend referral for external private or NHS support, which the team can help you to access
  • offer case management support and monitoring to help ensure you access appropriate care

Whatever the recommended course of action you decide to take, the Vetlife Health Support team will support and guide you through it.

Will I have to tell my employer?

Vetlife Health Support is a confidential service, just like when you visit your GP. We will not disclose any identifiable details of our contact with you to anyone else, unless there is a risk of harm to yourself or somebody , or you wish us to do so.

Can I get advice from Vetlife Health Support about a family member or a colleague?

If it is appropriate, Vetlife Helpline will sometimes make a referral for a third party.