Junior doctor suicides: Chloe Abbott’s family pushing for change

THE family of young doctor Chloe Abbott, who committed suicide because of “brutal” working conditions, met with health authorities to push for a inquiry.

Dr Chloe Abbott took her own life on January 9, but her family is now speaking out in an effort to shed light on the medical industry's 'shameful secret'.

• At least 20 junior doctors lose their lives to suicide
• Doctor suicides: The hidden despair of young physicians

THE family of a young doctor who committed suicide because of “brutal” working conditions met with top health authorities this week as part of a push for a parliamentary inquiry into the issue.

Jessica Abbott said her sister Chloe’s death must be a wake-up call for the industry and she was determined not to stop campaigning until real change had occurred.

Junior doctor Chloe Abbott took her own life earlier this year.

It comes as Health Minister Brad Hazzard confirmed an Australian-first forum on junior doctor’s suicides will be held in June at the University of Technology Sydney.

“The forum will be the first time in Australia that doctors in training, doctors and training colleges have been brought together in a forum to express their concerns about the pressures on medical practitioners particularly during training,” Mr Hazzard said.

Last month, The Saturday Telegraph revealed the shocking number of suicides by junior doctors who have felt unable to cope with the pressure of their job.

This includes the death in January of 29-year-old Chloe Abbott (pictured), who was one the state’s “brightest young doctors” and a champion swimmer.

Dr Abbott had been working at St Vincent’s Hospital while studying 40 hours a week prior to her death. Her family described the expectations of the job as “brutal” and “completely unsustainable”.

Chloe’s sister Jessica Abbott and their family are still pushing for changes in the medical industry.

Her mother Leonie Eagles and sisters Micaela and Jessica Abbott met with NSW health authorities on Wednesday.

“We hope that by meeting with them they have an additional perspective — the perspective of a bereaved family,” Jessica Abbott said.

“We want to see change at an organisational level and for solutions to extend beyond those targeting further resilience training at the individual junior doctor level. We know it will likely take time but it will be worth it when lives are saved.”

The family called for systemic overhauls, especially to mandatory reporting rules, which cause doctors to hide their mental health struggles for fear of losing their jobs.