General doctors’ health issues and care of other doctors
Understand the barriers that doctors may face in accessing healthcare.
Know what professional and personal support resources are available for doctors.
Approach boundary issues supportively and sensitively in consultations with other doctors.
Use appropriate communication strategies and structure consultations to provide supportive and sensitive consultations with doctor-patients.
Identify through history and examination/observation common psychological issues doctors face; for example stress, burnout, addiction, bullying and interpersonal relationship difficulties.
Recognise behaviours that may suggest a colleague is in difficulty.
Support colleagues in difficulty; including those who have had complaints made against them.
Understand the factors that impact on wellbeing and underpin burnout; such as health system pressures, medical culture, practice ownership and employment structures.
Understand the potential for bullying within the medical culture and strategies to ensure practice colleagues, junior staff, nursing staff and administrative colleagues feel safe in their working environment.
Understand legal responsibilities in reporting doctors to AHPRA.
Self-care
Develop a self-care plan that includes:
strategies to maintain own physical and mental health; including finding own GP for independent medical advice and preventive care
how to maintain appropriate boundaries whilst maintaining family’s health and wellbeing
finding and maintaining personal and professional supports to minimise stress and avoid burnout
how to deal with a crisis should it arise tomorrow
developing and maintaining interests and activities outside of work life.
