GMC event ensures doctors wellbeing is high on the agenda

The General Medical Council (GMC) is today (Friday 9 February) bringing together experts from across the profession to look at ways of tackling the causes and impact of work stress and poor mental health on doctors.

A symposium at the GMC’s London offices will launch a three-year initiative to identify actions that can be taken to address workplace factors that affect mental health and wellbeing.

"The pressures on medical students, doctors in training and the profession as a whole are huge. We know that tiredness; stress and health problems can impact safe patient care and also cause doctors to leave the profession early or during training."

Charlie Massey

GMC Chief Executive

Around 30 people, including representatives from the BMA, Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, NHS Practitioner Health Programme and Royal College of Psychiatrists, are attending the event.

The programme follows work between the GMC and Professor Louis Appleby, one of the UK’s leading mental health experts and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Manchester, to reduce the stress that regulatory processes can have on doctors.

Charlie Massey, Chief Executive of the GMC, said:

‘The pressures on medical students, doctors in training and the profession as a whole are huge. We know that tiredness; stress and health problems can impact safe patient care and also cause doctors to leave the profession early or during training.

'A lot of initiatives are already underway, but we all recognise that more can be done to improve the wellbeing of doctors especially in the workplace. We are committed to working together with key organisations to achieve this.'

The dedication of doctors is hugely valuable to the UK workforce. Listening to their concerns, acting on them and making sure they get the support they need and deserve are important priorities for us.'

The event will help shape the GMC’s future work, across all the UK’s four countries, to address mental health and wellbeing.

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