We are writing to you as colleagues and fellow MPS members to thank you for the work you are doing now and in the months ahead to tackle COVID-19, and also to tell you about the actions MPS is taking to support you during this time.

As the President and Chairman of MPS, and as consultants who are both still working on the ‘front line’, we can confidently say that for most of us, this pandemic will be the biggest clinical challenge of our lifetime.

We want you to know that MPS is here to support you. Our job is to protect you in both good times and bad. You need to be able to focus on treating your patients and looking after yourself – and to help you do that, we have made a commitment to respond quickly to the challenges that will arise, so that we can meet your needs and the needs of all our members across the world.

There are three areas where we have already committed to take action:

Protecting your wellbeing
We understand the pressure you will be put under during this crisis, and we have therefore extended our counselling service to all members who are experiencing any work-related stress, or stress that they feel could impact upon their practice. Our counselling service is provided through a third-party partner and completely confidential. Further details can be found here. 

Bolstering the workforce
We are providing free support to retired MPS members who wish to return to the frontline in Ireland, New Zealand and the UK, as part of our support for government-led initiatives to increase the number of doctors to keep our patients safe.

Protecting members’ financial position
We are keen to support members with private practice who have seen a significant drop in their work and a dramatic fall in income. We are currently considering ways to provide increased flexibility to make subscriptions more affordable for members during this challenging time. Once we have agreed the details, we will actively communicate and share our plans with you.

In the coming days, weeks and months, we will be sharing updates and information with you on our website and through a variety of other channels such as social media and email. We will also continue to provide advice on our website and will build on this over time. Our aim is to anticipate your needs and proactively provide you with the necessary answers where we can.

As two fellow healthcare professionals, we share your concerns and apprehension about what is to come. This is a challenge on a scale unimaginable only a few months ago. We all came into our professions to treat and support patients; that call perhaps rings truer today than ever.

This is not going to be an easy time for any of us, but we are going to get through it.

Support each other, stay safe and continue the great work that you do.

With sincere best wishes

Prof Dame Jane Dacre and Mr Ian Eardley