08 April 2015
EJD 2015-034 / Report
Report
Doctors’ Wellbeing Conference
Malta
Friday 20th March 2015 14:30 – 18:00h
This conference was organised jointly between the Medical Association of Malta and the European
Junior Doctors. The topic discussed was Doctors’ Wellbeing.
Speakers:
Mr. Gordon Caruana Dingli – President, Medical
Caring for doctors in Malta
Association of Malta
Dr. Carsten Mohrhardt – President, European Junior
Overview of European Junior Doctors
Doctors
Dr. Diana Fernandes – Chairperson Medical Workforce
The situation of doctors’ wellbeing in Europe
Committee, European Junior Doctors
Dr. David Cassar – Psychiatrist and Head of Department
The situation with medical students
of Psychiatry, University of Malta
Dr. Etienne Muscat – Psychiatrist and Lead of Trainee
Support Team, Foundation Programme
Prof. Sandra Buttigieg – Head of Department of Health
Services Management, University of Malta
Supporting Foundation Doctors
in Training
Health services staff management and wellbeing:
the link with service quality and performance
Doctors are not immune to disease, stress and psychological problems. Doctors need to be healthy
and well-supported if they are expected to be responsible for patients when they are at their weakest
and most fragile moments of their lives. However, “In no relationship is the physician more often
derelict than in his duty to himself.” (Sir Osler) Doctors are more likely to keep working through illness
and self-treat, often disregarding the advice they give to their own patients.
Most consider self-treatment of acute & minor illnesses acceptable, mainly because they feel
embarrassed to ask for health advice from another doctor, especially for psychological problems.
European Junior Doctors Permanent Working Group
Rue Guimard 15 - 1040 Brussels (Belgium)
www.juniordoctors.eu - [email protected]
Secretariat:
Reinhardtstrasse No. 36 - 10117 Berlin (Germany)
Phone: +49 30 746846 17 - Fax +49 30 746846 16
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"EJD 2015-034 / Report Doctors’ Wellbeing Conference”
This leads to maladaptive patterns such as continuing to go to work when unfit, self-prescribing, and
consulting friends and colleagues rather than going for a formal consultation. This is inappropriate,
especially in cases of psychological difficulties.
The above was highlighted by all the speakers, who also gave an overview of the current situation,
both in Malta and around Europe. While there are support structures in place for medical students
and Foundation Trainees, this is absent for older trainees and specialists. Data from studies in
medical students, and data from the Trainee Support Team for Foundation Trainees show how
widespread psychological problems are. It only makes sense to assume that older doctors also face
these difficulties, however a formal needs assessment should be undertaken first to properly identify
those areas which warrant most attention.
Our next step as the association responsible for doctors should be to be proactive and lobby for the
development of a clinic specially set-up for doctors which is sensitive to this group’s needs. This
clinic should be completely private and confidential and be manned by respected professionals who
other doctors find comfortable to approach.
European Junior Doctors Permanent Working Group
Rue Guimard 15 - 1040 Brussels (Belgium)
www.juniordoctors.eu - [email protected]
Secretariat:
Reinhardtstrasse No. 36 - 10117 Berlin (Germany)
Phone: +49 30 746846 17 - Fax +49 30 746846 16
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"EJD 2015-034 / Report Doctors’ Wellbeing Conference”
Sascha Reiff
International Secretary
Medical Association of Malta
Administration Officer
European Junior Doctors
European Junior Doctors Permanent Working Group
Rue Guimard 15 - 1040 Brussels (Belgium)
www.juniordoctors.eu - [email protected]
Secretariat:
Reinhardtstrasse No. 36 - 10117 Berlin (Germany)
Phone: +49 30 746846 17 - Fax +49 30 746846 16