Practices should shut their doors for a few minutes next Friday and take time to focus on their own staff wellbeing, according to professional leaders.

The move has been made after the tragic death of GP Dr Gail Milligan and growing evidence of the stresses on practice teams. Saturday 10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day and the British Medical Association’s English GP committee suggests that practices take time the day before – Friday the 9th – to prepare for it.

The occasion could also include time for remembering colleagues who have lost their lives, especially those who have taken their own lives. Earlier this year Rebuild General Practice published a survey showing that 24% of GPs knew a colleague who had taken their own life. The BMA said GPs constituted 63% of callers to its counselling services over the last year. In the year ending on 31 July, the services received 4,712 calls from GPs – compared with 1,347 a year earlier.

Committee deputy chair Dr Kieran Sharrock said: “At a time when demand and workload pressures across the NHS have never been higher, it’s never been more important to protect the health and wellbeing of staff so they are able to look after patients properly. An exhausted, unwell and demoralised workforce cannot provide care to the best of their ability, and we’re sure patients would not want to be treated by someone who is suffering themselves.

“Doctors and their colleagues too often put their all into looking after their patients, but unfortunately deprioritise their own wellbeing in the process, leading to burnout and real damage. That’s why we’re recommending that practice teams take some time on Friday 9th to have open conversations about health and wellbeing, identify how best they can support one another and share some of the excellent resources and services already out there, including those from the BMA, Practitioner Health and Doctors in Distress.

“When we lose a colleague to suicide it’s a huge loss – to their family, loved ones, workmates and patients. We have a duty to remember those we have lost, and a responsibility to do all we can to prevent losing more talented and dedicated colleagues in the same awful way.”

Resources for those struggling with mental health include the BMA Counselling Service on 0330 123 145 and services provided by NHS Practitioner Health and Doctors in Distress. The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.