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EDITORIALS: Ed Peile and Yvonne Carter Selecting and supporting contented doctors BMJ 2005; 330: 269-270 [Full text]

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Doctor's attitudes

Antony R Charles   (9 February 2005)

Ongoing support for GPs through peer support groups

Helga M. Rhein   (28 February 2005)

Contentedness requires spiritual skills

Sarah A Eagger   (28 February 2005)

Doctor's attitudes 9 February 2005
Antony R Charles, Assistant Professor, Paediatric Surgery St. John's Medical College Hospital, Bangalore, India 560034 Send response to journal: Re: Doctor's attitudes	Sir/ Madam Thank you for a very well referenced and neatly written article. I have 2 points of contention. In a lighter vein, my paediatric surgical teacher, has always taught that to be a 'good' surgeon, one must be paranoid ! Paranoid in the sense of watching every case carefully, not letting small mistakes creep in, not trusting new personnel too much, not trusting the oxygen tubing ( check for leaks !), not trusting the electrode earthing plate (ensure contact with body), never trust a flat ECG (check the cables !)never trust a doubtful report ( always double check) and most of all, never take anything for granted. In a serious vein, 'happy' doctors alone may not be enough.. remember all progress has always depended on the unreasonable man ( cf. George Bernard Shaw*). The 'happy' contented one would tend to settle in making adjustments to fit in while the uncontented unhappy one would try to find a better way however uncomfortable it may seem. Let the majority of doctors be the happy sort, pray allow a few uncontented ones - the future belongs therein. *Ref. http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/2097.html Dr. Robert Antony Asst. Professor Paediatric Surgery St. John's Medical College Hospital, Bangalore, India 560034 Competing interests: None declared
Ongoing support for GPs through peer support groups 28 February 2005
Helga M. Rhein, GP Sighthill Health Centre, Edinburgh, Calder Road EH11 4AU Send response to journal: Re: Ongoing support for GPs through peer support groups	Could I add peer support group meetings (for GPs) to mentoring and appraisal in the list of "most important mechanisms for ensuring contented doctors"? Evidence for their effectiveness comes not just from our group (1), but also from a large recent Australian literature review (2). Shouldn't it be expected by now that the mentally exhaustive work of a General Practitioner contains regular in-build professional support structures? References: (1)Evaluation Report of the GP Peer Support Group Pilot, South West Edinburgh LHCC, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh Medical School, June 2004 (2)Clode,D, 2004, The Conspiracy of Silence: Emotional health among general practitioners, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, South Melbourne Competing interests: None declared
Contentedness requires spiritual skills 28 February 2005
Sarah A Eagger, Consultant Psychiatrist for Older Adults St Charles Hospital, W10 6DZ Send response to journal: Re: Contentedness requires spiritual skills	Selecting and supporting contented doctors. Editor - Peile and Carter’s editorial (1) highlights the need for medical students to develop skills that will sustain them through medical school and their future profession. A group of professionals and I have published a training manual (2) that addresses the problems of burnout, low morale and recruitment and retention in all healthcare workers and have identified key skills that can be taught. We feel the emphasis should be on supporting healthcare professionals and learning self-help methods through experiential learning (3). To this end we have developed modules on values, peace, positivity, compassion, co-operation, valuing the self, and spirituality in healthcare. The teaching (in small, facilitated groups) uses the skills of reflection, listening, meditation, appreciation, visualisation, creativity and play. Our experience has been that a values-based approach resonates most with those who feel the need to re-connect with their original motivation for choosing a career in medicine. By inculcating more positive attitudes to work it can lead to greater cooperation with colleagues, enhanced communication with patients, and increase personal and professional sense of purpose and fulfilment. Dr Sarah Eagger Co-ordinator “Values in Healthcare, a spiritual approach”. Janki Foundation; Chair elect Special Interest Group in Spirituality and Psychiatry, Royal College of Psychiatrists; s.eagger@ic.ac.uk 1 Peile E, Cater Y: Selecting and supporting contented doctors. BMJ 2005; 330: 269-270. 2 Janki Foundation for Global Health Care, Values in healthcare; a spiritual approach, 2004, 449/451 High Road London NW10 2JJ. 3 Brown C K, (2003) Low morale and burnout; is the solution to teach a values based approach? Complementary Therapies in Nursing and Midwifery. Volume 9, Issue 2, p 57-61 Competing interests: Medical Advisor to Janki foundation; Co-ordinator of their "Values in Healthcare" programme