Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Health the mental health support available to medical staff, in particular junior doctors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4225/13]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Mental health support services are available to all, including medical staff, through referral from their GP or through Hospital Emergency Departments. As an employer the Health Service Executive (HSE) is committed to ensuring that appropriate systems, processes and resources are in place to ensure the safety, health and welfare of staff particularly those staff affected by their activities at work. Employees may seek support on occupational safety, health and welfare from staff in human resources, health and safety, health promotion, occupational health services, employee assistance and staff counselling services. The role of the staff in these areas is to provide relevant and timely advice, guidance and support to managers and employees on how to comply with their legislative duties and create a positive working environment that takes account of employee well-being and, where appropriate, they can also provide counselling to employees. They also help to promote effective safety, health and welfare practices and to develop relevant training programmes.

As part of a framework for understanding and addressing employee well-being and welfare priorities, additional support is provided to staff through the implementation of a range of HSE Policies and Procedures including Prevention and Management of Stress in the Workplace; Preventing and Managing Critical Incident Stress in the Workplace; Rehabilitation of Employees back to work following illness or injury and Employee Welfare and Well-being Strategy.