New studies highlight the need for GP wellbeing management reform.
Calls for reform to mandatory reporting have been relit by the RACGP, as new research showcases the mental toll on GPs.
The new research was published in the Australian Journal of General Practice (AJGP) alongside an editorial on the need to prioritise doctor wellbeing and reduce burnout.
Reforms to mandatory notification laws have been brought up by the RACGP, with the college calling for state and territory governments to follow suit with WA’s reforms.
“That is why we’ve repeatedly called on state and territory governments to follow Western Australia’s lead and scrap mandatory notification laws, which require doctors to report a fellow GP if they have a ‘reasonable belief’ that they are practising with an impairment and placing the public at substantial risk of harm,” RACGP president Dr Michael Wright said in a statement.
“The thresholds for mandatory reporting are high; however, these laws can deter GPs from reaching out for the help they need, including for mental health concerns.
“A Senate committee report has already recommended that the Ministerial Council agree to remove these requirements and align the approach with the Western Australian model.”
The RACGP has also committed to providing more education to members on the specifics of mandatory notification laws and what instances they should be reporting.
Breaking down the negative perceptions of these laws has also been reported as a barrier to effective GP wellbeing management.
Dr Shaun Prentice co-authored four of the articles featured in the AJGP, with the research supporting the RACGP calls for a greater focus on wellbeing.
“I think the concept of mandatory reporting is one that’s not terribly well understood, in my opinion,” University of Adelaide clinical associate lecturer Dr Shaun Prentice told The Medical Republic.
“If a doctor is putting their hand up to get help, that’s a very important step in ensuring that they are going to be able to practice safely.
“Because they do have someone that they’re working with to provide them with the supports that they need.”
“As opposed to trying to go alone, which tends to lead to more adverse outcomes in terms of the way that they practice, and their own well-being as well.”
Dr Prentice also said supporting individual wellbeing was not just a professional duty but also a shared responsibility between the individual, the practice and the systems.
Providing self-care in both preventive and reactive formats was touted by Dr Prentice as the most optimal path for reform.
“No matter what we do, there always will be stressful days,” Dr Prentice told TMR.
“It’s important that individuals have got the tools and resources they need to be able to work through those and also have the support around them to get them through that.
“But there are certainly areas that we can try and find optimisations for workloads too.”
