Wellbeing at Work

Did you know that junior doctors experience significantly higher rates of burnout, depression and anxiety than the general population?

As a profession, it’s our responsibility to ensure doctors have the appropriate support, throughout their careers, to deal with the challenges of the medical profession. It is with this in mind that AMA Queensland’s Council of Doctors in Training researched and developed Wellbeing at Work (formerly Resilience on the Run) – a first-of-its-kind pilot program aimed at equipping young doctors with the resilience and coping skills needed to survive and thrive in medicine.

Resilience on the Run was piloted at Rockhampton Base Hospital in October 2015 and received considerable positive feedback. Hospital administration and interns found the program so helpful that they asked for it to be rolled out again.

Presented by wellbeing expert Dr Ira van der Steenstraten, the Wellbeing at Work program focuses on developing techniques for resilience and mindfulness, better managing interpersonal relationships, navigating difficult scenarios on the job and practical steps for asking for help. Following delivery of the pilot program in 2016, Metro South Health engaged AMA Queensland to deliver the program for 140 interns across Princess Alexandra, Logan and Redlands Hospitals to overwhelmingly positive feedback. By August 2017, close to 370 interns had completed the program including delivery at Gold Coast University, Ipswich and Mackay Hospitals.

In 2017, Queensland Health announced that funding had been allocated in the State Budget to deliver programs to support mental health, increase resilience and promote wellbeing amongst the medical workforce. The first phase of funding has been allocated to engage AMA Queensland to deliver Wellbeing at Work (formerly Resilience on the Run) to all medical interns from 2017-2019. Queensland Health has now extended the funding for AMA Queensland to deliver Wellbeing at Work to all Queensland medical interns from 2020 - 2021.

In 2018, AMA Queensland won the 2018 Best Public Health Initiative Award for the Resilience on the Run program delivered to all Queensland medical interns.

The program can be delivered as a customisable, face-to-face, two-part or three-part workshop series. Each session is 1.5 hours in length and topics include:

• Strategies for personal empowerment;
• Developing mindful communication techniques for more effective engagement with others;
• Skills for managing challenging scenarios in the workplace;
• An evidence based introduction of Mindfulness and how it can improve well-being in the workplace;
• Strategies for dealing with Burnout and Compassion Fatigue; and
• Practical tips on getting help.

For all Wellbeing at Work enquires, contact Lisa O'Donnell or Renee O’Brien at AMA Queensland on (07) 3872 2222 or email wellbeing@amaq.com.au