Doctors experiencing tough times at work could soon turn to a staff-room dog for support under a new program to combat mental illness. 

The Victorian Government says it will begin deploying ‘dogs for docs’ to public hospitals around the state as part of a strategy to improve staff wellbeing.

Victorian Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Jenny Mikakos announced the initiative on Friday during a panel discussion to launch the Crazy Socks 4 Docs doctors’ health awareness day.

She said the peer-support dog trial would be based on a successful program in the state’s ambulance service, which had had a labrador on the payroll since last May.