Support and wellbeing

Developing resources on support and wellbeing is a cross-faculty policy priority for the RCR.

With a focus on prevention, a working group has been convened to identify the root causes and wider impact of stress in both specialties and support members in maintaining their wellbeing and promote a supportive working culture. Long-term, unaddressed burnout can have devastating consequences including chronic health conditions, a low sense of professional accomplishment and quality of patient care.

RCR resources

• Video: recognising the signs of stress and burnout by Dr Anthea Cree, CO Fellow, The Christie (member login required.)
• Webinar: Supporting oncology service leaders during COVID-19 held on 8 April 2020 by Dr Tom Roques, CO Medical Director, Professional Practice and Professor Gwen Adshead (consultant psychiatrist) Currently unavailable.
• Webinar: Supporting Clinical Radiology trainees during COVID-19 Pandemic held on 24 April 2020 by Dr Caroline Rubin, CR Vice-President, Dr Teik Choon See, RCR Patient Safety Adviser and Professor Gwen Adshead. Currently unavailable.

Support and wellbeing working group members

 Professor Gwen Adshead - Advisor (consultant psychiatrist)

The RCR is a member of the RCSed Alliance Against Bullying and Undermining Campaign and BMA Wellbeing Stakeholder Group

Resources from other healthcare organisations

Please note, links from the RCR website to external websites and material are provided for information only and do not constitute endorsement or approval. The RCR is not responsible for the accuracy, legality or content of any external sources referenced on this website.

• The NHS Practitioner Health Programme

• The British Medical Association wellbeing programme and reports include “Supporting the mental health of doctors and medical students” and “Personal stories of doctors in training with experience of mental illness”

• BMA online Learning Module and Advice for employers on Reasonable Adjustments

• The General Medical Council have highlighted burnout issues through their 2018 annual survey and launched a programme of support

• The Doctors Association UK have a series of campaigns for a supportive culture in the NHS, such as Learn Not Blame and Compassionate Culture.

• Civility Saves Lives aims to change behaviours of medics through providing evidence in digestible formats such as podcasts, videos, websites and academic papers.

• Health Education England: NHS Staff and Learners' Mental Wellbeing Commission 2019
   
• Medical Protection Society report: Breaking the burnout cycle - keeping doctors and patients safe
   
• The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, 2019: Taking Action against Clinical Burnout

Resources from other Royal Colleges

• The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has signposted to a range of useful resources 

• The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have established the Supporting our Doctors Task Group to support doctors in difficulty. They have developed an Undermining Tool Kit aimed at all career stages and roles in conjunction with the Royal College of Midwives to improve workplace behaviours. Other resources include a network of Workplace Behaviour Champions, who are all members, to address undermining and bullying behaviour.

• The Royal College of Emergency Medicine offers a range of guidance for clinical directors, executive boards, trainees, SAS doctors, consultants and employers and commissioners..

• The Royal College of Psychiatrists have a long-standing Psychiatrist Support Service and Help sheets with useful tips

• The Royal College of Surgeons offers a confidential support and advice helpline to support surgeons in difficulty.

• The Royal College of General Practitioners hold regular wellbeing events such as clay modelling, socials, mindfulness, increasing resilience and collaboration with parkrun UK.

• Report from The Royal College of Psychiatrists: work and wellbeing in the NHS: why staff health matters to patient care