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#GPnews: GP mental health lead says doctors suffering from NHS ‘PTSD’

 16:20 Recently had your CQC inspection? This amusing video might bring back some memories of that frantic ‘Night Before the CQC’ inspection…

13:50 A practice cleaner’s contribution to the NHS and general practice has been recognised in a national award ceremony to celebrate the unsung heroes of the health service.

Liz mason

Liz Mason – GP Cleaner wins Our Health Heroes award – SUO

Liz Mason, who works at Happy House Surgery, Sunderland, was the North’s winner for operational service worker of the year at the Our Health Hero awards, created by Skills for health, the National Skills Academy for Health and Unison.

Praised for her positive attitude and innovative thinking, since joining the surgery she has also worked hard at improving her skills and achieved several national vocational qualifications (NVQs).

Christina McAnea, UNISON head of health, said: ‘Without support staff like porters, cleaners and administrative staff, the NHS would very quickly grind to a halt…That’s why these awards are so important.’

12:05 There are fears that high rates of norovirus infections could overload the NHS in the run up to Christmas, reports the Telegraph.

PHE data showed there are currently 45% more cases than at this time last year.

Dr Taj Hassan, president of the College of Emergency Medicine, said that a norovirus outbreak ‘really could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back’.

He said: ‘The increase in instances of norovirus is extremely worrying for an already fragile emergency care system. 

‘The system is so under-resourced that any extra demand may overwhelm emergency departments and put patients’ safety at further risk, despite the best efforts of staff.’

09:30 Professor Clare Gerada, a GP in South London and medical director of the Practitioner Health Programme (PHP), has said doctors are entering the mental health support service with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

The former RCGP chair, whose programme was recently awarded the contract to run the new nationwide GP burnout service, said: ‘We have seen now nearly 10% of all London doctors in our service.

‘Around two-thirds of them have common mental health problems, so depression, anxiety – and something that we have defined as post-traumatic stress disorder from working in the NHS, which is a difficult place at the moment.’

She said that of the remaining third of doctors seen by PHP, the vast majority have addiction problems. Meanwhile, around 100 had bipolar disorder and ‘other psychotic illnesses’, she added.

Professor Gerada was speaking at yesterday’s Westminster Health Forum conference on the future of general practice, alongside speakers including her Hurley Group partner Dr Arvind Madan, NHS England’s director of primary care.

It is on his comments we lead today, with the story that almost 2,000 GP practices will have been affected by NHS England rescue efforts by the end of March.


          

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