NHS Practitioner Health is a free, confidential NHS mental health and addiction service for health and care staff. In England, any member of NHS staff who cannot get confidential care through local services can self-refer online or by calling 0300 0303 300. In Scotland the same team runs the Workforce Specialist Service for regulated health and social care professionals.
Key facts
- Who can use the service
- In England, NHS staff unable to get confidential care through local services. In Scotland, regulated professionals in health and social care with the same confidentiality problem.
- Cost
- Free
- How to contact
- Online registration forms on the website, or 0300 0303 300
- Opening hours
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm. Closed at weekends and on bank holidays.
- Response time
- The team aims to contact you within five working days of registering
- Covers
- England, plus Scotland through the Workforce Specialist Service. Wales and Northern Ireland are not covered.
What NHS Practitioner Health does
Practitioner Health is a primary care led mental health assessment and treatment service, set up to care for NHS professionals. The team has expertise in treating health and care staff, and the service exists for people who cannot get confidential care through their usual local services. The Care Quality Commission rates the service Outstanding.
After you register, one of three things usually happens:
- A member of the team calls you to talk through your referral.
- You are invited to an initial assessment with a lead clinician.
- You are referred straight to a therapy provider.
Consultations and therapy take place by video through the service's booking platform. Telephone consultations are also possible, and a clinician may recommend a face-to-face appointment after assessment. The website also lets registered patients book appointments and request prescriptions online.
Who can register in England
The service is open to any member of staff working in the NHS in England who cannot access confidential care through local options. Doctors and dentists are named as examples, but the wording covers NHS staff broadly. The service is mainly self-referral, so you do not need a GP letter, though the team accepts supporting assessments from local services.
Retired staff qualify only if they plan to return to clinical work with a licence to practise. Doctors and dentists must be registered with their regulator, or seeking registration.
Scotland: the Workforce Specialist Service
In Scotland, the service is open to all regulated professionals working in health and social work or social care who, for confidentiality reasons, cannot get care through their own GP or other local services. Registration works the same way: an online registration and wellbeing assessment form, or a call to 0300 0303 300 during opening hours.
What the service does not cover
Practitioner Health publishes a list of needs outside its scope. The service does not accept people whose main need is:
- a second opinion, an occupational health assessment or medico-legal advice
- urgent or specialist NHS care for a complex or long-term mental illness, such as an acute crisis, psychosis or an eating disorder needing specialist treatment
- ADHD or autism assessment and treatment
- physical health assessment and treatment
People with complex forensic histories are also excluded, and existing secondary care patients are usually not accepted, though the team will assess the referral. Doctors or dentists erased from the register, or who no longer hold a licence, are discharged to other support within 12 months or at the end of treatment, whichever comes first.
Where to go if Practitioner Health is not for you
- NHS and social care staff in Wales: Canopi, the free Welsh staff mental health service, which paused new therapy referrals from 21 September 2026. Read support in Wales too.
- Health and social care staff in Northern Ireland: see support in Northern Ireland.
- Staff in private pharmacy or private clinics who do not work for the NHS: your own GP, NHS Talking Therapies, or a profession-specific charity such as Pharmacist Support.
- Someone to talk to tonight: the BMA wellbeing line for doctors and medical students, open 24/7.
- Peer support alongside treatment: Doctors' Support Network or Doctors in Distress.
Many clinicians delay asking for help for fear of the regulator or their employer finding out. Our guide to fear of seeking help covers what happens to health information, and returning to work covers the next stage.
Before you register
- Set aside time to complete both sets of online forms. The service says both are needed before you can be registered.
- Have your professional registration number and employer details to hand.
- Think about how you prefer to be contacted, and which times are private enough for a call.
- If you already see a GP, occupational health or an employee assistance programme, note what support you have had so far.
Crisis support
Registration takes up to five working days, so do not wait if you are in crisis. In immediate danger, call 999. In England, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option. In Scotland, call NHS 24 on 111. Samaritans answer free on 116 123 at any hour. See urgent support and NHS urgent mental health support.
Common questions
Who is eligible for NHS Practitioner Health?
In England, any member of NHS staff who cannot get confidential care through local services. In Scotland, regulated health and social care professionals with the same problem can use the Workforce Specialist Service.
Do I need a GP referral for Practitioner Health?
No. The service is mainly self-referral through an online form or by phone, though the team also accepts supporting assessments from local services.
What is the NHS Practitioner Health phone number?
Call 0300 0303 300, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm. The line is closed at weekends and on bank holidays.
Is Practitioner Health confidential?
Yes. The service describes itself as free and confidential, and exists for staff who cannot get confidential care locally.
Does Practitioner Health cover Wales?
No. The service covers England, plus Scotland through the Workforce Specialist Service. NHS and social care staff in Wales can use Canopi.