Treating doctors' distress

doi:10.1136/bmj.a2810

Published 2 December 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a2810
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a2810

Letters

Doctors’ health

Treating doctors’ distress

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

All doctors throughout their training and career need to beskilled in dealing with distress—in themselves, each other,and their patients.¹ And if mental health "first aid" is soeffective for the public, then, as people first, the same surelyapplies to doctors.

"How can we produce healthy doctors who will use voluntary programmesif they need help?"¹ Well, there is "voluntary" and there is"voluntary," and, when enfeebled and ill, the perceived differencecan determine what help a person seeks.

I served on the government group that reported on the mentalhealth needs of doctors. It named the voluntary organisationswith doctors who are available to offer anonymous and confidentialpeer support, but it did not seek to involve them in the designand delivery of services.

In the same way that half of patients who are mentally ill donot engage with statutory services, so doctors can benefit . . . [Full text of this article]

Christopher L Manning, director¹

¹ Upstream Healthcare, Twickenham TW11 9HG

chrisso95@btinternet.com