The national health regulator has produced a new video that features a surgeon talking through the stress and anxiety of a patient complaint notification, in a bid to assist others in the same predicament.
“Keep perspective; and seek help” is the message the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and National Boards wants to convey to health professionals, following the release of its second practitioner experience video.
The resource is designed to provide a first-hand account of the notification process from a practitioner’s perspective, and deals with issues such as anxiety, guilt, uncertainty and self-doubt.
“Many practitioners have told us that they would have benefited greatly from hearing the voice of other practitioners who had gone through this experience — and come out the other side,” AHPRA CEO Mr Martin Fletcher said.
“They have also told us that when they are the subject of a notification, they immediately think they will lose their registration and their livelihood – that it’s a catastrophe.
“We understand that practitioners may feel this way. However, our data show a different story. While we have a clear focus on patient safety, many notifications end without the need for regulatory action and are often closed following initial assessment, without the need for an extended investigation.”
In the video, a north Australian surgeon called Phill describes the emotional turmoil following a poor patient outcome and complaint notification. As time passed, his worries increased, and he found it difficult to maintain a realistic perspective about the likely outcome.
“Certainly, as the process went on my anxiety levels raised considerably, in fact a lot, and I’d wake up early in the morning with this churning over my mind,” he says in the video.
“I wouldn’t get to sleep at night, some depression kicked in and underlying that there was this guilt – both of the clinical outcome for the patient, but also this whole process made me second guess myself, and constantly question myself and my adequacy as a doctor.”
Phill reflects on the value of speaking with family and friends, as well as the ongoing support of his GP and a psychologist. He said his emotional response was normal, and talks about the sometimes random and dispassionate nature of the process.
Medical Board of Australia chair Dr Anne Tonkin said the latest video highlights the importance of getting support.
“We know that many health practitioners will receive one or more notifications during their career,” she said. “For the vast majority, no regulatory action will be taken. As Phill rinds us in this video, it’s important – although difficult – to try to keep in mind what are the likely outcomes, and keep things in perspective.
“Notifications are part of the system for keeping the public safe while they receive medical care. We also want to make sure that practitioners are safe and well, and this often needs particular focus if they receive a notification.”
