December 12, 2023

Doctor Self Care

37 minutes

Doctors in Australia are less likely to have their own doctor than the rest of the community. As committed professional caregivers, medical practitioners can sometimes neglect their own mental and physical well-being. Our host Dr Penelope Elix speaks with Dr Michael Bonning, GP and AMA NSW President about doctor self-care, the importance of a doctor having their own GP, services available such as Doctors for Colleagues, the role of doctors treating doctor patients and myths about health-related mandatory notifications to regulators.

Further resources for listeners

Medical Board: Good medical practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia

Doctors health (section 11) and supporting health of colleagues

AMA(NSW) Doctors for Colleagues Registry https://www.amansw.com.au/doctors-for-colleagues/

DRS4DRS – to identify the relevant health service available to medical practitioners in each state and territory DRS4DRS – Help doctors stay healthy

Doctors Health NSW – the doctors health service in NSW available to doctors and medical students and their families https://doctorshealth.org.au/

Medical Benevolent Association of NSW – provides counselling and short term financial assistance through times of crisis, illness, accident, mental health conditions, grief and loss of income to doctors and their families in NSW and ACT MBANSW - Home

The Black Dog Institute TEN network (mental health support for health professionals)

https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/the-essential-network/

Healthier doctors = health patients Interview with Prof Leanne Rowe on doctor self-care and its link to patient safety https://www.mcnsw.org.au/healthier-doctors-healthier-patients

Mandatory notification guidelines

https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines-policies/guidelines-for-mandatory- notifications.aspx

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By Health Professional Councils Authority