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A Dartford doctor who took his own life prior to the pandemic has been paid tribute to in Parliament amid calls for medics to be equipped with "psychological PPE".
As coronavirus hospitalisations continue to climb, so do fears for the mental health of NHS workers on the frontline.
In a recent survey by the British Medical Association, more than two fifths of doctors in the UK say that their head space is now worse than before the pandemic.
Last week, Dartford MP Gareth Johnson raised the issue of increased suicide rates among medics with the Prime Minister during his statement on the second national lockdown.
He said: “Doctors are between two and five times more likely to take their lives than the general population.
“In 2018, my constituent Dr Jagdip Sidhu was a consultant cardiologist at Darent Valley Hospital. He was at the cutting edge of medical treatment, but alas could not cope with the pressure that he faced and sadly he took his own life.
“Could the Prime Minister therefore agree it is vital we do as much as possible for the welfare of clinicians during what is going to be a very, very challenging time for this profession?"
In response Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “I am deeply sorry to hear about the suicide of his constituent Dr Jagdip Sidhu.
“We are doing everything we can to support NHS care for its staff, their wellbeing and their mental health and I would urge anybody in the NHS who is aware of a colleague who is struggling with their mental health to come forward and seek help.”
On average a doctor is said to take their life every three weeks, according to research in the British Medical Journal.
As the number of Covid-19 infections and hospital admissions increase, pressure on clinicians is expected to rise too.
After his question, Mr Johnson said: “Dartford has seen 127 deaths from Covid so far and each one of these is not just devastating for the families of these people but also has an impact on those that have been treating them.
"It therefore is essential that we consider the welfare of our doctors, nurses and care workers at this time.”
Dr Sidhu was 48 when he died in November 2018.
A leading heart consultant, Dr Sidhu was at the top of his profession and was instrumental in Darent Valley gaining recognition as a coronary interventional centre.
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust commissioned an independent report into his death and two of the factors it mentioned was excessive workload and the fact the NHS was "resource constrained".
Friends and family unveiled a plaque outside the hospital in memory of the doctor.
Following his death, Dr Sidhu's brother Amandip Sidhu founded the charity Doctors in Distress.
It aims to eradicate stigma around doctors asking for help, change workplace cultures and create strong positive leadership.
During the first lockdown, Amandip called for psychological PPE in the form of therapeutic spaces where medics can readily access support and talk about the emotional impact of their work.
He told the British Medical Journal: "My brother never took a sick day in his life, he considered it a sign of failure. When asked to take time off from work, instead of relief, he felt guilty and ashamed.
"It still astounds me that those in the caring professions, like doctors, practice and deliver impeccable compassionate care but receive little or none from the system in return."
Amandip continues to raise awareness alongside Doctors in Distress chairman and GP Clare Gerada, who was awarded a damehood in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours for her work in mental health services.
Two years on from his brother's death, Amandip said: “Here at Doctors in Distress we are grateful and honoured that the case that inspired Doctors in Distress (the suicide of Dr Jagdip Sidhu) was mentioned in Parliament and acknowledged by Boris Johnson.
“This is a huge milestone for us and we would like to thank Gareth Johnson for recognising Doctors in Distress, and our work.
“We are seeing good progress in reducing the stigma of mental health amongst doctors and the health system with these conversations, but there is still more to do in recognising the importance of doctors, nurses and healthcare worker's welfare at this time.”
For confidential support on an emotional issue, call Samaritans on 116 123 at any time or click here. If you want to talk to someone confidentially, click here.
