Report Doctors` Wellbeing Conference Malta
08 April 2015 EJD 2015-034 / Report Report Doctors’ Wellbeing Conference Malta Friday 20th March 2015 14:30 – 18:00h This conference was organised jointly between the Medical Association of Malta and the European Junior Doctors. The topic discussed was Doctors’ Wellbeing. Speakers: Mr. Gordon Caruana Dingli – President, Medical Caring for doctors in Malta Association of Malta Dr. Carsten Mohrhardt – President, European Junior Overview of European Junior Doctors Doctors Dr. Diana Fernandes – Chairperson Medical Workforce The situation of doctors’ wellbeing in Europe Committee, European Junior Doctors Dr. David Cassar – Psychiatrist and Head of Department The situation with medical students of Psychiatry, University of Malta Dr. Etienne Muscat – Psychiatrist and Lead of Trainee Support Team, Foundation Programme Prof. Sandra Buttigieg – Head of Department of Health Services Management, University of Malta Supporting Foundation Doctors in Training Health services staff management and wellbeing: the link with service quality and performance Doctors are not immune to disease, stress and psychological problems. Doctors need to be healthy and well-supported if they are expected to be responsible for patients when they are at their weakest and most fragile moments of their lives. However, “In no relationship is the physician more often derelict than in his duty to himself.” (Sir Osler) Doctors are more likely to keep working through illness and self-treat, often disregarding the advice they give to their own patients. Most consider self-treatment of acute & minor illnesses acceptable, mainly because they feel embarrassed to ask for health advice from another doctor, especially for psychological problems. European Junior Doctors Permanent Working Group Rue Guimard 15 - 1040 Brussels (Belgium) www.juniordoctors.eu - office@juniordoctors.eu Secretariat: Reinhardtstrasse No. 36 - 10117 Berlin (Germany) Phone: +49 30 746846 17 - Fax +49 30 746846 16 Page 2 of 3 "EJD 2015-034 / Report Doctors’ Wellbeing Conference” This leads to maladaptive patterns such as continuing to go to work when unfit, self-prescribing, and consulting friends and colleagues rather than going for a formal consultation. This is inappropriate, especially in cases of psychological difficulties. The above was highlighted by all the speakers, who also gave an overview of the current situation, both in Malta and around Europe. While there are support structures in place for medical students and Foundation Trainees, this is absent for older trainees and specialists. Data from studies in medical students, and data from the Trainee Support Team for Foundation Trainees show how widespread psychological problems are. It only makes sense to assume that older doctors also face these difficulties, however a formal needs assessment should be undertaken first to properly identify those areas which warrant most attention. Our next step as the association responsible for doctors should be to be proactive and lobby for the development of a clinic specially set-up for doctors which is sensitive to this group’s needs. This clinic should be completely private and confidential and be manned by respected professionals who other doctors find comfortable to approach. European Junior Doctors Permanent Working Group Rue Guimard 15 - 1040 Brussels (Belgium) www.juniordoctors.eu - office@juniordoctors.eu Secretariat: Reinhardtstrasse No. 36 - 10117 Berlin (Germany) Phone: +49 30 746846 17 - Fax +49 30 746846 16 Page 3 of 3 "EJD 2015-034 / Report Doctors’ Wellbeing Conference” Sascha Reiff International Secretary Medical Association of Malta Administration Officer European Junior Doctors European Junior Doctors Permanent Working Group Rue Guimard 15 - 1040 Brussels (Belgium) www.juniordoctors.eu - office@juniordoctors.eu Secretariat: Reinhardtstrasse No. 36 - 10117 Berlin (Germany) Phone: +49 30 746846 17 - Fax +49 30 746846 16
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