YOUR STRESS, YOUR HEALTH, AND YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE

Doctors have more mental illness, alcoholism, drug abuse, marital breakup, and suicide than others.

It may not be the workload of general practice which precipitates the crisis, it may be a family problem (such as divorce or illness).
You are not exempt from stress! You have your limits! Be prepared!

• Develop your support systems like regular career appraisals or reviews, maintaining a mentor, a supervisor, or a 'professional buddy'.
• Rehearse how you would cope if you became physically or mentally ill.
• Recognize early that you do have a problem

Consider using these services:

Your GP: Would you use your present GP . If not, think about changing to a GP you would trust to help you.

Your Local Medical Committee: The secretary of your local LMC may be able to advise you on the local services available to help you.

Your Health Authority Chief Executive or Medical Advisor: may be able to provide extra help or protected time for a doctor in distress.

The BMA's free Confidential 24-Hour Counselling service:
Experienced professional counsellors can help you with a wide range of personal, emotional and work related problems. Members of your family can also use the service. Tel 0645 200169

The National Counselling Service for Sick Doctors:
If you are worried that your health is affecting your competence, you can telephone the national contact point (0171 580 3160) to get the name and telephone number of an advisor. You do not have to disclose your name or your problem. If you are a GP, usually your advisor will be a GP, but from a different part of the country.

If you are worried about a colleague's health, you will be given an advisor's name and telephone number. You do not have to give the name of your colleague until you speak to the advisor. The advisor may approach the sick doctor or may arrange for another specialist to approach the sick doctor. No permanent record or names are kept. If the sick doctor refuses the offer of help, you will be informed and the involvement of the scheme ended.

The NCSSD was started in 1986, and deals with about 300-400 cases per year. It is an autonomous organisation controlled by a management committee with representatives from the Royal Colleges, the BMA and other professional bodies.

 

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