June’s cover story (‘Half of GPs at high risk of burnout’) chimes with my experience.
I left anaesthetic training due to burnout and onset of bipolar disorder. A VTS was good enough to support me returning to work and has allowed me to plan a more flexible career in medicine, instead of throwing away years of training and experience.
General practice is a broad church and you can make what you want out of it.
If you are feeling the danger signs of burnout, have the courage to examine your life and identify what needs to change.
Owning a big house or demonstrating professional machismo are not as valuable as your mental health.
Dr Lucie Ward, GP trainee, Bradford
Thanks to Dr Amy Small for having the courage to say what many of us have experienced.
There is a perfect storm in general practice, to the detriment of both patients’ and doctors’ health. It cannot go on.
Some GPs are oblivious to it, but they are not helping themselves or colleagues by putting pressure on themselves.
During this turbulent time, I am glad to be a freelance GP, making a worthwhile contribution primarily to patient care without all the distractions.
From my point of view as a locum, the state of general practice at the moment is concerning.
Dr David Barrett, Coventry
