Intended for healthcare professionals

Letters

Increase in staff numbers may reduce doctors' “presenteeism”

BMJ 1999; 319 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.319.7223.1502a (Published 04 December 1999) Cite this as: BMJ 1999;319:1502
  1. R M Wrate, consultant psychiatrist
  1. Working Minds Research Unit, Astley Ainslie Hospital, Edinburgh EH9 2HL

    EDITOR—Forsythe et al show, on the basis of self reports, that doctors regularly ignore BMA ethical guidelines that advise against self-prescribing or prescribing for colleagues or relatives.1 Concerns about confidentiality were commonly reported. Proposals to address these problems include more “doctors' doctors” and an improved occupational health service for general practitioners.

    The opportunities and anxieties that doctors face in their everyday lives may be important factors. For example, research in Edinburgh in which I participated found …

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