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Dr Dominique Thompson nominated for Healthcare Professional of the Year

Dr Dominique Thompson

26 September 2017

Director of the Students’ Health Service, Dr Dominique Thompson, was nominated for the award by a former student.

Dr Thompson has worked as a GP within the service for the past 17 years, seeing students on a day-to-day basis. Gareth Griffith was in his final year at Bristol when he opened up about his mental health for the first time.

Gareth had been struggling with depression throughout his degree, and at the end of the academic year, attempted suicide.

He said: “For me, Dr Thompson normalised mental health experience, and had such an instinctive grasp of the associated guilt and shame that can come with it.

“She encouraged me to get counselling, encouraged me to talk to friends and family about it, and eventually supported my decision to suspend my university studies for a year.

“She was also one of the first people who made me feel like it wasn't a weakness to ask for help. She made some of my issues bearable and understood that the process of recovering from years of feeling so low wasn't instant.

“At some point I'll stop thanking her for doing that, but I'll never stop being grateful for it.”

Gareth nominated Dr Thompson for Health Care Professional of the Year at the Bristol Post Health and Care Awards.

Further information

If you’re a student at Bristol, find out more about our available support at bristol.ac.uk/students/wellbeing.

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