Abstract
Objective
Doctors’ mental health has received increased focus recently and has been met with a variety of systemic responses. A Professional Support Unit (PSU) in a public hospital was established to address service gaps. This paper aims to describe the care of doctors referred to this service.
Methods
Participants in the first four cases were referred to the PSU and assessed by the first author.
Results
The cases revealed: (i) variety of referral sources, symptom presentations and backgrounds of doctors referred to a dedicated doctors’ health service; and (ii) the person-centred, multi-modal treatments and adjunctive services required.
Conclusion
Doctors’ mental health is an urgent priority, with direct impacts on patient safety and care. The mix of patients presented here suggest difficulties beyond burnout and highlight the workings of a new service model designed to complement existing services in the Australian context.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.