The issue of doctors’ mental health has been an ongoing concern within the medical profession and community. In order to provide the opportunity for junior doctors to raise their concerns on the issues they felt are impacting their health and wellbeing in the current medical training environment, NSW Health organised the JMO Wellbeing and Support Forum.
The forum was held on the 6 June 2017 with over 150 attendees. Please see the JMO Wellbeing and Support Forum summary for more information.
The feedback provided by participants at the forum, along with the outputs of a literature review and other consultation activities, were used to develop the JMO Wellbeing and Support Plan. The plan was published in November 2017 and focussed on ten practical initiatives that could be implemented to:
The plan was based on the academic literature and advice from experts in the field, including specialists in suicide prevention, mental health and medical training and education. Most importantly it was based on feedback from JMOs themselves.
The Ministry has now published the JMO Wellbeing and Support Plan Implementation Report to advise of the actions taken and outcomes achieved in relation to the JMO Wellbeing and Support Plan.
One of the key achievements of the plan is the sustainable and lasting change it has made in areas such as fatigue management, parental leave and recruitment. However, there is more to do to ensure the best training and working environment for our junior doctors. The Ministry of Health will continue to work with JMOs, hospitals and medical colleges to make this happen.
The NSW Ministry of Health is grateful for the support all stakeholders have given to ongoing delivery of the plan and acknowledges their dedication during these challenging times.
Call to make an appointment and speak to specially trained senior medical officers.
