A sea change for sick doctors – how do doctors fare after presenting to a specialist psychotherapy service?

Abstract

Background: Little is known about doctors who present to services following an episode of psychological distress. MedNet is a psycho-dynamically informed confidential self-referral service for doctors.

Aims: To examine the health and work trajectory of MedNet clients between 2002 and 2007 followed up in 2010.

Method: We report and compare service-monitoring data for 124 doctors on engagement with health services, whether in work or not, sick leave utilised, and reported distress measured by CORE-OM at intake and at one follow-up time point.

Results: 95.6% of doctors continue to work and progress in their careers. 58.3% remained engaged with services. Sick leave had reduced significantly at follow-up. Distress was significantly reduced, but no differences were found with respect to social functioning and well-being. An interesting shift was observed in doctors’ use of medication from treating somatic complaints towards treating mood symptoms.

Conclusions: Doctors show improvements and continue to progress in their careers after a psychotherapeutically orientated intervention. A shift in doctors’ perception of their difficulties is indicated from more somatic to psychological concerns. Many doctor–patients continue with ongoing professional support.

• Doctors’ health
• occupational health
• mental health
• psychotherapy
• resilience

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Erratum

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Mrs Chrystalla Loizou and Miss Alex Angeloudes for their very valuable help with data collection for this paper and the clients of MedNet for their participation in this study.

Declaration of interest

At the time of writing, Drs Garelick and Meerton worked for the Mednet service.