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Health of tomorrow's doctors: obstacles to appropriate help-seeking

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Robert M. Wrate  and
Pamela J. Baldwin
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During the research interviews for Isobel Allen's prospective studies of medical careers (Allen, 1994), many young doctors voiced concerns about their working conditions. Although a relationship between doctors' health impairment and their arduous working conditions has only recently been empirically established (Baldwin et al, 1997a), concern about sick doctors, at all stages of their careers, has been growing for many years. There are very few empirical data on sick doctors' help-seeking, but the enlightened self-interest of trusts and health boards may become an important new driving force, because of the more clearly defined responsibilities of National Health Service (NHS) senior staff for the well-being of their colleagues and possible liability for colleagues' impaired clinical practice (General Medical Council, 1995; British Medical Journal, 1997). The anticipated UK shortage of doctors may also act as a stimulus for measures designed to encourage the retention of a healthy medical workforce.

Type
Research Article
Information
Advances in Psychiatric Treatment , Volume 3 , Issue 5 , September 1997 , pp. 290 - 296
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 1997 

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