Spotlight on local doctors’ health services - Doctors’ Health NT
On the road with Doctors’ Health NT’s Medical Director, Dr Jill Benson AM
Doctors’ Health NT has significantly increased its delivery of targeted initiatives to support the wellbeing of rural and remote medical practitioners across the Northern Territory.
Two dinners, held in Alice Springs and Darwin, brought together over 30 doctors for an evening of connection, peer support, and updates on available services. Dr Benson, leading this program, said that these dinners create a valuable, safe space for NT doctors to openly discuss how to maintain their wellbeing in rural and remote practice. The follow-up engagement, both informal and by telehealth, has also been crucial, with ongoing conversations - including around moral injury - and direct support provided to attendees.
Inaugural NT Rural Retreats were delivered in Alice Springs and Darwin, with 16 doctors attending. These retreats offered a dedicated forum for remote GPs to reflect on the unique pressures of their roles, identify priorities, and share strategies for sustaining their practice in challenging environments.
Dr Benson emphasised that access to timely, confidential healthcare remains a priority for Doctors’ Health NT. Four outreach clinics were delivered across Nhulunbuy, Katherine, and Alice Springs, supporting 44 doctors. Extended consultations (1–2 hours) enabled comprehensive care. In the latter half of 2025, 39 doctors accessed services (in-person and via telehealth), with two-thirds of consultations addressing physical health, half including mental health support, and a quarter involving workplace-related concerns.
Outreach to Nhulunbuy and Katherine highlights both the need and impact of this service. Despite significant travel requirements, intensive weekend clinics enabled care for 21 doctors, many of whom otherwise have limited access to general practice services. Dr Benson acknowledged that these services could not have been provided without vital funding support from the NT Primary Health Network.
Similarly, outreach to Alice Springs in April 2026, included a Leadership Masterclass, and a workshop in Vicarious Trauma, as well as clinical consultations for 13 doctors. This was jointly funded by the PHN and the Northern Territory
Rural Generalist Coordination Unit. Feedback included comments such as ‘very grateful for the funded outreach visit and think there would be great benefit to others in a similar situation if it is replicated and continued’, and ‘encourages me that I can continue to work sustainably in Alice Springs and have access to my own GP / primary care. I am more likely to stay and work in Alice Springs for many years if I can have access to services like Jill’. Ongoing telehealth follow-up is in place, with further visits scheduled.
“Together, these initiatives reflect a growing, responsive program of support - ensuring NT doctors are better equipped to care for themselves while continuing to care for their communities. However ongoing funding remains a concern, it is vital we ensure our remote medical workforce is supported on the frontline”, Dr Benson reiterated.
Doctors’ Health NT continues to build awareness and capability across the workforce:
- Participation in the 2024 and 2025 Flinders NT Medical Career Expos engaged more than 200 medical students
- Clinical Leadership Masterclasses and Workshops in Alice Springs, Central Australia, and the Barkly region focus on leadership, supervision, and preventing neglect of doctors’ own health, alongside sessions on moral injury, vicarious trauma, and PTSD
- Additional sessions, including Grand Rounds on the importance of doctors’ health, further reinforce the message across hospital settings.
For more information visit https://doctorshealthnt.com.au/