- Allow the patient to give their history and listen. You can often glean from that what is most likely to be wrong.
- Make your questions pertinent based around what the patient is telling you. Keep an open mind and suspend judgement
- Remember health conditions co-exist and don't focus solely on what may seem to be obvious
- Use the investigations available to you wisely; respond to the results obtained.
- Communicate with your patient; make them aware of what is happening
- Communicate with your seniors; shared decision making in times of uncertainty often helps.
- Don't continue to push yourself when tired; that is the time when mistakes occur.
- Be kind to yourself and others.
- Feeling stressed is likely to be common among us all: it does not mean you are failing; it is a very normal response.
- Look after your psychological health as much as your physical health; stay in contact with family and friends.
Website | Telephone Numbers | Brief Description of service | |
0330 123 1245 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) | BMA Counselling is staffed by professional counsellors. They are all members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and are bound by strict codes of confidentiality and ethical practice. | ||
| Peer support by qualified doctors offering a confidential anonymous service covering mental health, work problems, relationships and anything else. | ||
| 0203 049 4505 | This is a free confidential service for doctors and dentists with issues relating to a mental or physical health concern or addiction problem, in particular where these might affect their work. | |
0208 540 9194 | This is a leading charity for doctors, medical students and their families. Providing financial support, money advice and information when it is most needed due to age, ill health, disability or bereavement. | ||
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| StayingSafe.net offers compassion, kindness and easy ways to help keep people safer from thoughts of harm and suicide, seek support and discover hope of recovery through powerful videos from people with personal experience. | |
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| The Joyful Doctor was founded to transform the lives of doctors. To highlight the pressures, and mental health costs, of working in medicine, and to help struggling doctors to seek support. To help disillusioned doctors love their work again, and choose work that truly satisfies their purpose in life. | |
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| Twitter account for doctors to share ideas, experiences and messages of support. |