Every week we lose two physicians to suicide. They need more help, says Adam Kay

Saving lives is a daily task for many healthcare workers, but the pressure can take a heavy toll.

According to the Laura Hyde Foundation, two medical staff in Britain die by suicide every week, including nurses, doctors, paramedics and more.

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To commemorate the lost lives of brave healthcare professionals, comedian and former doctor Adam Kay has planted a memorial tree at Ealing Hospital – the first of its kind in Britain.

Speaking to The Sun, he said: “It is an unthinkable tragedy. We don't talk about mental health enough, especially within the profession.

“This tree is the first ever memorial in Britain to the great doctors who committed suicide. It means a lot to me.

'I knew people who committed suicide, and I'm not the only one. The truth is, if you talk to the medical staff, they all have a connection to someone who committed suicide.”

In the BBC drama This Is Going To Hurt – an adaptation of Adam's hit memoir about working in the NHS – a tree was planted to mark the loss of a doctor who committed suicide.

Ealing Hospital, where the program was filmed, agreed to install a similar memorial after fans contacted Adam saying they couldn't find it in real life.

It is named Shruti's Tree, after the character in the show.

Adam, who is a judge for this year's Who Cares Wins awards, added: “Every three weeks a doctor in Britain takes his own life. I hope we can look forward to a time in the future when that doesn't happen.

“There are many great charities working to help prevent the suicide of medical professionals. I'm proud to be here at the first commemoration.”

The planting is supported by charities The Laura Hyde Foundation (LHF) and Doctors in Distress – both aimed at helping healthcare workers with mental health.

Jennie Barnes – who founded LHF after her niece Laura, an ER nurse, committed suicide – believes the commemoration is an important way to raise awareness of the often hidden pressures of the profession.

She said: 'I hope this will help many more in the profession feel like there is no stigma around mental health.

'In five years' time I would like to see something like this in every hospital. Laura was smart and lively, but underneath she struggled with work stress.

“She covered up how bad it was with her laughter, so after her death we wanted to do something good in her name.”

The charity has a 24-hour helpline to support struggling clinicians and is now involved in training student nurses and doctors to make them aware of the pressures when they qualify.

Fellow charity Doctors in Distress is offering support to struggling doctors and trying to push for changes to the law.

Amandip Sidhu started the nonprofit organization after his brother, Dr. Jagdip Sidhu, committed suicide because he felt trapped and unable to escape his suffering.

About the tree, Amandip said: “After losing my brother, I wanted to do something to help improve the situation.

“Having something like this tree and Adam Kay is absolutely phenomenal. It gives a platform to the issue.”

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