GP Health

Last updated 26 June 2020

Health and wellbeing

Attention to physical and emotional wellbeing is vital. Attention to self-care is more than a doctor having their own GP. Stress is significant in the working life of a GP, having very real implications for wellbeing and clinical performance. There are a number of very useful resources available to GPs on self-care and the management of stress.
GP wellbeing
The doctor and the importance of self-care (White Book, chapter 14)
The GP Support Program: Supporting the wellbeing of GPs

Clode D, Boldero J. Keeping the doctor alive: A self-care guidebook for medical practitioners, Melbourne: The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, 2005.

This guidebook explores three key areas of self-care: identification, prevention and support. It has been designed to facilitate discussion among colleagues or within a peer support group over the course of a year. It may also be used individually to self-reflect or to discuss with partners or families.

Rowe L, Kidd M. Every doctor: Healthier doctors = healthier patients. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2019.

This an RACGP-approved publication and may be ordered using the Publications order form. It is a book for all doctors, of all specialties and career stages. It offers many practical strategies for self-care that are based on the medical literature as well as the wisdom of experienced doctors.

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