The NSW Doctors' Mental Health Program
Within the medical profession there has
been growing concern about, and acceptance of, reported increases in the levels
of stress and mental health problems among doctors.
Historically doctors have encountered
many professional and personal stress factors throughout their education,
training and practice. However, more recently there have been several
developments that may further impact on doctors mental health and well
being. These include the rapid pace of change in the health care system,
the growth in medical knowledge and technology and its accompanying ethical
dilemmas, the political and economic uncertainty affecting practice location and
remuneration and the needs and expectations of an increasingly informed
community.
Doctors, like the rest of the population,
are vulnerable to common mental illness such as depression. International
studies report substantially higher suicide rates for doctors compared to other
professions and the general community. Untreated depression may account
for some of these deaths. As with other groups at risk in the community it is
important to raise awareness of the early symptoms and pathways to
treatment. The self-prescription of psychotropic and narcotic drugs has
also been identified as a particular area of concern.
In November 1997, following a report
on doctors' mental health, the NSW Minister for health, Dr Andrew Refshauge,
requested the NSW Medical Board convene an independent NSW Doctors' Mental
Health Implementation Committee with wide ranging representation from the
profession. This Committee has produced the NSW
Doctors' Mental Health Policy to provide a framework for the NSW Doctors'
Mental Health Program.
Central to the recommendations in the
Policy is the issue of training in stress management and the promotion of mental
health being taught to medical students and doctors as "part of being a
doctor", and that doctors at times need to step out of the "caring for
others" role and be cared for themselves. Every doctor has the right
to be a patient and receive quality medical care in a timely manner. Thus
the Policy strongly recommends every doctor has his or her own general
practitioner, and endorses the Doctors Health Advisory Service as a confidential
service for advice on mental health and stress related problems.
The NSW Minister for Health, Dr Andrew
Refshauge, launched the NSW Doctors' Mental Health Policy
and Strategies for Area Health Services at
Parliament House on 22 October 1998.
The other key components of the NSW
Doctors' Mental Health Program include Strategies for Medical Colleges and
Strategies for Medical Schools. These documents are currently being finalised.
Dr Tony Williams
Independent Chair
PO Box 422
St Leonards NSW 2065
Australia
Copyright
© 1998-2004.
Medical Benevolent Association of New South Wales. All rights reserved.
Citation suggestion:
Medical Benevolent Association of NSW, Welcome to the NSW Doctors Mental
Health Program (http://www.dmh.org.au/dmh/welcome.htm) [date accessed]
Last revised: 20 April 2004 16:04
