ED doctors tackle mental health and wellbeing
March 2018
Australian Medical Association (NSW) – AMA (NSW) (amansw.com.au)
NSWD_March_April-2018__Combined_web.pdf (amansw.com.au)
MORE THAN 90 emergency doctors and CMOs celebrated the inaugural NSW Emergency Doctor Health and Wellbeing Day on 17 January at the Clovelly Lawn Bowls Club. Sponsored by the AMA (NSW)/ ASMOF (NSW) Alliance and Bankstown Lidcombe Hospital, the event was sparked by an increasing awareness of the stress faced by emergency medical professionals. Bankstown Hospital’s Dr Rebecca Davis organised a number of talks and workshops which focussed on self-care and caring for colleagues in a work environment that focuses on care for others. Dr Clare Skinner, director of Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital’s emergency department, kicked off the event by sharing her heartfelt perspective on why doctors experience burnout. Dr Cameron McIntosh, a clinical psychologist, provided a framework to help doctors maintain their psychological health while being a trainee. Following that presentation, Dr Judith Lissing, a psychotherapist, discussed the theory behind mindfulness and provided demonstrations on how to apply it in the workplace. In addition to the presentations, there were practical and valuable workshops on how to run a clinical debrief and how to use meditation and yoga to restore the mind and body. The event concluded with a discussion on how to maintain a safe mental space in a hospital environment, as well as how to enact change, maintain motivation, and how to rekindle kindness, respect and humanity in our health system. Doctors also enjoyed a game of barefoot bowls, as well as the breathtaking views of the Clovelly cliffs. Feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive with attendees inspired to care for themselves and their colleagues. One doctor commented anonymously, “Be nice. We can start and maintain a hospital-wide culture change. Doctors are terrible at taking breaks but we can change that too.
