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    Recommendations for improving the working conditions and cultures of distressed junior doctors, based on a qualitative study and stakeholder perspectives

    Spiers, Johanna and Kokab, F. and Buszewicz, M. and Chew-Graham, C. and Dunning, A. and Taylor, A.K. and Gopfert, A. and van Hove, M. and Teoh, Kevin and Appleby, L. and Martin, J. and Riley, R. (2022) Recommendations for improving the working conditions and cultures of distressed junior doctors, based on a qualitative study and stakeholder perspectives. BMC Health Services Research 22 (10), ISSN 1472-6963.

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    Abstract

    Background: Doctors, including junior doctors, are vulnerable to greater levels of distress and mental health difcul‑ ties than the public. This is exacerbated by their working conditions and cultures. While this vulnerability has been known for many years, little action has been taken to protect and support junior doctors working in the NHS. As such, we present a series of recommendations from the perspective of junior doctors and other relevant stakeholders, designed to improve junior doctors’ working conditions and, thus, their mental health. Methods: We interviewed 36 junior doctors, asking them for recommendations for improving their working con‑ ditions and culture. Additionally, we held an online stakeholder meeting with a variety of healthcare professionals (including junior doctors), undergraduate medical school leads, postgraduate speciality school leads and NHS policy‑ makers where we asked what could be done to improve junior doctors’ working conditions. We combined interview data with notes from the stakeholder discussions to produce this set of recommendations. Results: Junior doctor participants and stakeholders made organisational and interpersonal recommendations. Organisational recommendations include the need for more environmental, staf and educational resources as well as changes to rotas. Interpersonal recommendations include changes to communication and recommendations for better support and teamwork. Conclusion: We suggest that NHS policymakers, employers and managers consider and hopefully implement the recommendations set out by the study participants and stakeholders as reported in this paper and that the gold standards of practice which are reported here (such as examples of positive learning environments and supportive supervision) are showcased so that others can learn from them.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    Keyword(s) / Subject(s): Junior doctors, Mental health, Recommendations, Qualitative research
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Business and Law > Birkbeck Business School
    Depositing User: Kevin Teoh
    Date Deposited: 22 Nov 2022 11:40
    Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 18:19
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/49905

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