EVERY DOCTOR: HEALTHIER DOCTORS = HEALTHIER PATIENTS

My co-authors, Professor Michael Kidd, Dr Vihangi Abeygunawardana and I wrote the fully revised 2nd edition of Every Doctor because we believe that healthier doctors provide the highest standard of patient care –andfindmorejoyinlifeandwork

Family medicine is a fantastic career. It can be a privilege to witness the courage of our patients, gain extraordinary insight into ordinary life, and develop bonds with colleagues who become lifelong friends across international borders But we must also address the downside – general practitioners are continuing to confront and adapttoglobalandlocalpublichealthcrises, which are impacting on the mental and physical health of every community – and everydoctor

In Every Doctor, we are advocating for a transformational change in the way doctors protect their mental health; care for their colleagues, particularly early career doctors; and co-create a kinder, more humane work culture. Every doctor has the right to a safe workplace–ahealthyworkenvironmentthat protectsdoctorsagainstburnoutandmental injury, bullying, harassment, discrimination, racism, medicolegal issues and verbal and physical assaults This is every doctor’s responsibility

We all have more influence than realised to reform our health systems and workplaces through co-leadership with like-minded colleagues.Forexample,inthelastfewyears ofthepandemic,groupsofdedicatedfamily doctors banded together under the umbrellas of WONCA and National Colleges of General Practice and Family Medicine to drive health care innovation such as advances in digital technologies; expand telehealth provision; set up new services for isolated rural communities and war torn countries; rapidly establish vaccination centres;rolloutneweducationandtraining programs;andprovidestrongadvocacyona very wide range of issues that impact on patient care This healthcare activism must continue

It’s also time for senior doctors to step up and provide more support to early career doctors Young family doctors at the front line of health care should not have to learn aboutnavigatingcareerchallenges“thehard way” through bitter experience. In recent times,thepandemicandotherpublichealth crises have resulted in loss of career progression, loss of certainty about the future, traumatic losses of patients, family members, friends and colleagues In this environment, workplace mental injury including direct and vicarious trauma in doctors is under reported, under recognised andundertreate

We can do so much more to care for our colleaguesinthesecircumstances

Every Doctor confronts all these challenges andprovidespracticalsolutionsbasedonthe wisdom of experienced doctors and the medical literature Brimming with poignant and hopeful stories and quotes from many family doctors at all career stages, Every Doctorisacelebrationofthegrowingglobal interconnectednessandthechangingfaceof themedicalprofession

Please consider gifting the new edition to a newcolleague–butpleasereaditfirst!

Formoreinformation: https://routledge.pub/Every-Doctor

There is a 20% discount with promo code ESA31