Colleagues are best source of support for doctors facing complaints, researchers find

Doctors facing a complaint have lower levels of depression and anxiety if they seek support from their colleagues, research published in BMJ Open has shown.1

UK and Belgian researchers concluded that denying doctors the chance to speak to colleagues, as may happen in serious cases, is “unreasonable,” as having the support of colleagues as well as management “was associated with less avoidance and psychological morbidity.” “Avoidance” can include avoiding some procedures, not accepting high risk patients, and abandoning procedures early.

The researchers sent …