SAVE THE DATE:  AUSTRALASIAN DOCTORS' HEALTH CONFERENCE - Sydney, September 14-17, 2017 

The Doctors' Health Advisory Service (NSW) aims to ensure that every doctor, dentist, veterinarian or student in these professions has ready access to health care.

We offer a telephone help line for personal and confidential advice for practitioners and students, and also for colleagues and family members in NSW and the ACT.

We handle calls relating to stress and mental illness, drug and alcohol problems, or personal and financial difficulties. No problem is too trivial or too serious. Our staff and volunteer doctors can provide advice and referrals if required.  Professor Garry Walter is the Service's Medical Director supported by our medical social worker, Sarah Foster.

We strongly recommend that you have your own general practitioner and see him/her promptly if you are unwell - as William Osler said 'a physician who treats himself has a fool for a patient'. Don't be so foolish!

The Medical Board of Australia is funding similar initiatives across Australia.  The Service has separate funding to ensure that we continue to serve and support our colleagues in Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine.  We now have an office on the 2nd floor in AMA House St Leonards which will serve as a base for the DHAS staff.

Because our staff are part-time, we also rely on the support of GPs and specialists who have been so important in maintaining the Service on a voluntary basis for the past 40 years. Together we aim to ensure that every doctor, dentist and veterianarian (and all students in those disciplines) has timely access to confidential medical care.