Doctors in Distress
Doctors in Distress is an independent UK charity (founded 2019, Watford) that provides free, professionally facilitated peer-support groups, webinars, and self-paced courses for healthcare workers to address burnout, mental illness, and suicide risk, operating across England, Wales, Scotland and, since 2024, Northern Ireland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersWatford, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Doctors in Distress does
Doctors in Distress is an independent charity registered in England & Wales (#1184953) and Scotland (#SC049715), founded in 2019 by Amandip Sidhu following the 2018 suicide of his brother Jagdip Sidhu, a consultant cardiologist. The organisation provides free, professionally facilitated peer support services — primarily weekly online support groups (Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays) plus specialised formats — to UK healthcare workers experiencing mental health challenges including burnout, emotional exhaustion, exam anxiety, complaints/tribunal stress, sexual misconduct trauma and Long COVID. Its core programmatic suite comprises the Weekly Support Groups, the self-paced Beat Burnout Course (devised by Dr Claire Ashley), the Doctors 1in4 / Nurse-Midwife 2in3 lived-experience webinar series, Creativity Groups (photography and creative writing), the #StampOutSexism Listening Group, Long COVID Support Groups (launched in partnership with NHS Practitioner Health), speaking engagements, and #StampOutSexism listening groups. It has also expanded to medical students through focus groups led by Leo Datnow and, in 2024, launched services in Northern Ireland with Dr Rose McCullagh leading local advocacy.
Underlying delivery is human-led rather than technology-led: the stated core technology is a "peer support platform for healthcare worker mental health support" with no proprietary AI or software products listed, no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed integrations. Distribution is operated through a hybrid of self-serve registration on Eventbrite (for support group sign-up), email/newsletter and organic social channels (Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube), and partner-referral pathways via institutional supporters including the BMA, Medical Defence Union, NHS Practitioner Health, the Royal Colleges, Intensive Care Society, College of Paramedics, NHS Barts Health NHS Trust and Cavell. Commercial sponsors (KPMG, Wesleyan, Cencora, Cygnet, Core Prescribing Solutions, Health Foundry, Vitalhub, LaproSurge, Sleepio) and creative collaborators (The Bigger Picture, Royal Literary Fund, World Federation of Mental Health) round out a broad ecosystem of roughly two dozen named partners.
The commercial model is donation-dependent: the charity "relies almost entirely on donations" with no charge to beneficiaries for any programme. Voluntary income is generated via text-to-donate (text PREVENT to 70460 for £5), JustGiving, direct bank transfer, PayPal, GoFundMe campaigns, and merchandise sales (memorial pin badges at £5 individual or £25 for a set of five). There is no productised pricing tier, no subscription, and no enterprise B2B contract. Revenue, headcount and grant income are not publicly disclosed. Governance is provided by trustees and patrons including Dame Clare Gerada as Chair; the small visible leadership team comprises founder Amandip Sidhu, Head of Programmes and Public Affairs Susannah Basile, with operational base at 28 Stratford Way, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 3DJ.
Doctors in Distress firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Doctors in Distress
- Legal name
- Doctors in Distress
- Website
- https://doctors-in-distress.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Doctors in Distress is an independent UK charity (founded 2019, Watford) that provides free, professionally facilitated peer-support groups, webinars, and self-paced courses for healthcare workers to address burnout, mental illness, and suicide risk, operating across England, Wales, Scotland and, since 2024, Northern Ireland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Doctors in Distress industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mental Health & Wellbeing Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330)
- SIC
- Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)
Keywords
Where Doctors in Distress is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Watford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Doctors in Distress business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Doctors in Distress is an independent charity that relies almost entirely on donations. They accept donations via text-to-donate (text PREVENT to 70460 for £5), JustGiving, direct bank transfer, PayPal, and GoFundMe. The charity also sells memorial pin badges (£5 individual, £25 set of 5) as a fundraising mechanism.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of memorial pin badges as a fundraising initiative. Badges can be purchased individually (£5) or in sets of 5 (£25). These are branded merchandise items that supporters can purchase to show support for the charity.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Free | Free Support Programmes |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Memorial Pin Badges |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Doctors in Distress product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Doctors in Distress is a UK charity that provides free, confidential peer support groups and mental health programs for healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff) to protect their mental health and prevent suicide. The organization also sells awareness merchandise to fund its mission.
Product overview
Doctors in Distress is an independent charity offering a suite of peer support and mental health services for healthcare workers. The core offering consists of multiple programme types: Weekly Support Groups (online confidential peer support), the Beat Burnout Course (self-paced online course), Creativity Groups (photography and creative writing workshops), the Doctors 1in4 webinar series, #StampOutSexism Listening Groups, Long COVID Support Groups, and speaking engagements. The charity also sells Memorial Pin Badges as merchandise. All support services are free of charge, confidential, and professionally facilitated.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Peer Support Groups Free, confidential peer-led group support sessions for UK healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, and clinical staff) experiencing mental health difficulties or at risk of burnout. Facilitated by trained peer supporters.
- Awareness Merchandise Branded merchandise sold to supporters and the public to raise awareness of healthcare worker mental health and generate funds for the charity's programs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supported over 6,000 healthcare workers with mental wellbeing since Autumn 2020
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Doctors in Distress
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Doctors in Distress technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Doctors in Distress partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
26 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- KPMGcoreProfessional services firm listed as a partner on the Doctors in Distress website. Nature of partnership not detailed in available sources.
- Medical Defence Union (MDU)coreMajor medical defence organization partnered with Doctors in Distress. MDU supports doctors facing complaints and tribunals, aligning with DiD's mission.
- BMA (British Medical Association)coreTrade union and professional body for doctors in the UK. Listed as partner, providing referral pathway and collaborative advocacy for doctor wellbeing.
- NHS Practitioner HealthcoreFree confidential mental health service for NHS doctors and dentists. Partnership provides referral pathway for healthcare workers needing specialized support.
- Intensive Care SocietyminorProfessional society for intensive care medicine, partnered with DiD to support member wellbeing.
- The Bigger PicturecoreCollaboration working with NHS Charities Together, RCGP, and others to improve healthcare professional wellbeing through creativity, arts and humanities. Hosts Restore project with DiD.
- College of ParamedicsminorProfessional body for paramedics partnered to support paramedic mental health and wellbeing.
- 4 Mental HealthminorMental health organization providing 'Connecting with People' eLearning training referenced in DiD's resources.
- The Royal Literary FundminorOngoing collaboration providing writing workshops for healthcare professionals through Restore project.
- World Federation of Mental HealthminorInternational mental health organization partnered with DiD.
- NHS Barts Health NHS TrustminorMajor NHS Trust partnered to support staff wellbeing.
- CavellminorCharity supporting nurses and midwives, partnered with DiD for staff wellbeing initiatives.
- Doctors Association UKminorAdvocacy organization for doctors partnered to support member wellbeing.
- Core Prescribing SolutionsminorPrescribing solutions company listed as a partner.
- LaproSurgeminorMedical technology company listed as a partner.
- WesleyanminorFinancial services company for medical professionals listed as partner.
- CencoraminorPharmaceutical solutions company (formerly AmerisourceBergen) listed as partner.
- CygnetminorHealthcare company listed as partner.
- In2MedSchoolminorOrganization supporting medical school applicants partnered with DiD.
- Little BlueminorMental health charity partnered with DiD.
- TortoiseminorMedia organization partnered with DiD.
- SleepiominorSleep improvement app/service partnered with DiD.
- The Fathom TrustminorTrust partnered with DiD.
- Broadcast RevolutionminorMedia production company partnered with DiD.
- AGMminorListed as partner on website.
- Grocers CrestminorListed as partner on website.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Doctors in Distress competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Doctors in Distress social profiles
Digital presenceDoctors in Distress compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Doctors in Distress financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Doctors in Distress leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Doctors in Distress funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Doctors in Distress M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Doctors in Distress
What does Doctors in Distress do?
Doctors in Distress is a UK charity that provides free, confidential peer support groups and mental health programs for healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff) to protect their mental health and prevent suicide. The organization also sells awareness merchandise to fund its mission.
Is Doctors in Distress a public or private company?
Doctors in Distress is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Doctors in Distress founded?
Doctors in Distress was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Doctors in Distress based?
Doctors in Distress is headquartered in Watford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Doctors in Distress make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales.
Does Doctors in Distress have an API?
No public API is recorded for Doctors in Distress.
What industry is Doctors in Distress in?
Doctors in Distress's product category is Mental Health & Wellbeing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAD, Mental Health & Crisis Support Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAH, Mental Health & Crisis Support Services. Its NAICS code is 621330 and its SIC code is 8090.