EDITOR, - Liam J Donaldson and Claudia Court drew attention to the important matter of sick doctors.1,2 They both referred to the unsympathetic attitudes of colleagues and employers when the sickness is alcohol or drug misuse.

Doctors who have an alcohol problem often live in fear of drawing attention to themselves, this fear being shared by their spouses and families. They usually do not know how and where to seek fully confidential medical help that can be trusted and regarded as safe. They fear employers and …