Published 13 November 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a2527
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a2527

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Doctors’ health matters

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

When Kjell Magne Bondevik became severely depressed he discussed the problem with his colleagues, told everyone the diagnosis, announced that he was taking time off for treatment, and after a month made a full return to work. This story might not seem remarkable except for the fact that he was then the prime minister of Norway. In this week’s BMJ, David Owen, a former doctor and leader of one of the UK’s political parties, says that Bondevik’s frankness earned him the respect of Norwegians and helped fight the stigma of mental illness (doi:10.1136/bmj.a2486). Owen calls for similar openness about ill health from today’s national leaders, for their own sakes and because their electorates have a right to know.

Although doctors are not under the same obligations of public accountability, they are responsible for lives and for the good standing of their profession. As a group doctors have . . . [Full text of this article]

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This article has been cited by other articles:

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