A health check for young doctors after string of suicides

JUNIOR doctors in NSW will have access to treatment from a specialist group of GPs under a new initiative to improve their physical and mental health and stop self-medication.

JUNIOR doctors in NSW will have access to treatment from a specialist group of GPs under a new initiative to improve their physical and mental health and stop self-medication.

The list is the first of its kind in Australia with dozens of GPs already signed up, signalling they are willing to treat their junior colleagues.

It comes after a cluster of suicides among junior doctors last year rocked the medical community bringing attention to the pressures junior doctor are under and leading to calls for doctors to take greater care of their health.

Victims included fourth-year Junior Medical Officer Dr Chloe ­Abbott, 29, whose family ­believe the “brutal” expectations of her job contributed to her death.

Junior doctor suicides: At least 20 lives lost due to enormous pressure

The government is concerned after a string of suicides among junior doctors.

Dr Chloe Abbott took her own life on January 9.

In the wake of the deaths, health ministers across Australia agreed to overhaul mandatory reporting laws which have been blamed for doctors being too scared to seek treatment for fear of career ramifications.

The register, run by the Australian Medical Association of NSW, is the brainchild of emergency medicine specialist Dr Rebecca Davis who said young doctors are transient workers who don’t have a regular GP.

“Doctors are very bad ­patients. They don’t seek help a lot, they do a lot of self-treatment for things they shouldn’t and underestimate how well they are especially with physical illness … they can give themselves antibiotics,” she said.

“You can’t be objective in your own health and so you ­really need a GP.”

Dr Davis said all GPs are capable of caring for junior doctors but the database provides a list of those who understand the unique issues and stressors that junior doctors face.

She said mandatory reporting played a part in stopping some doctors seeking help. AMA NSW president Dr Brad Frankum said the list would ­improve junior medical office’s mental and physical health.

“We’re trying to promote the idea that all doctors should have their own GP, put their health care in that professional context rather than chatting to colleagues at work about health issues or getting advice on the run or writing themselves scripts. It is much better to have that impartial person.”

Studies have found that suicide ideation in medical students is over seven times that of the general Australian population with about 25 per cent of young medicos experiencing depression.

Support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.