Doctors’ health matters

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 …