5. Sustainability, Resilience and Occupational health Flashcards
Define sustainability
The ability to be able to continue over a period of time
How might sustainability be looked at in the NHS?
Looked at in a couple of ways:
- It could be looked at in relation to low carbon clinical care and the environment.
- It could be looked at in relation to the ability of the NHS to “Continue over time”
- “Realistic medicine” national policy document relates to part of this
What is the greatest part of carbon emission from NHS?
- The greatest part of carbon emission from NHS England is from purchasing of goods and services, 22% is from purchase of pharmaceuticals.
- Sustainability is not just about more efficient use of energy in buildings but also of equipment and consumables.
Importance of low carbon clinical care and NHS sustainability
- Prioritise Environmental Health
- Substitute harmful chemicals with safer alternatives. Reduce and safely dispose of waste
- Use energy efficiently and switch to renewable energy. Reduce water consumption
- Improve travel strategies (reduce need to traveel, better ways to travel and institutional plans) - also brings large health benefits, e.g. reduction in DM, CV disease and depression
- Purchase and serve sustainably grown food
- Safely manage and dispose of pharmaceuticals
- Adopt greener building design and construction. Purchase safer more sustainable products
What will low carbon clincial care look like?
It will:
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Be better at preventing conditions
- e.g. decrease the no. deaths linked to climate change
- Give greater responsibility to patients in managing their health
-
Be leaner in service design and delivery
- e.g. combining clinics, greater use of online records etc.
- Use the lowest carbon technologies
Effect of new GP contract 2018
- In 2018, a majority of General Practitioners in Scotland voted for a changed national GP contract.
- The BMA in Scotland stated it will reduce workload and improve recruitment.
- Additional members will become part of the practice team and allow GP’s to fulfil their role as expert medical generalists.
- There are a number of changes in staffing and funding designed to promote sustainability of General Practice.
- The effect of the changes will be to reduce risk to practices and to promote sustainability.
List some mild-to-moderate mental health conditions which can affect 15-25% of the population
- depression
- generalised anxiety disorder
- panic disorder
- social anxiety disorder
- obsessive compulsive disorder
- post-traumatic stress disorder.
However, medical students have a higher prevalence of depression and anxiety than the general population.
- importance of ms having the resilience and coping techniques.
Oxford Dictionary definition of resilience
‘Resilience’ ( a term imported from the language of physics) as:
- The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness, or the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.
•This term is also used in other disciplines such as physiology and psychology to refer to a person’s ability to resist adversity without resulting in physical or psychological disability.
What is resilience?
- Resilience is an emotional competence or a personality characteristic that deals with negative effects of stress and promotes adaptation.
- Resilience can also, however, be an acquired virtue or behaviour and requires continuous improvement.
- Resilience encompasses several dimensions incl. self-efficiency; self-control; self-regulation; planning and perseverance.
- The medical profession, as many other professions, can be very stressful and we need to maintain emotional wellbeing and resilience.
Personal stengths underpinning resilience
- High frustration tolerance
- Self acceptance
- Self belief
- Humour
- Perspective
- Curiosity
- Adaptability
Meaning
Behaviours supporting resilience
- Building / having support networks – positive relationships
- Reflective ability
- Assertiveness
- Avoiding procrastination
- Developing goals – realistic plans and ability / motivation to follow them through
- Time management
- Work – life balance
Personal causes of burnout
- Perfectionism, denial, avoidance, micromanaging, unwilling to seek help
- Being too conscientious
Professional causes of burnout
- Culture of invulnerability
- Culture of presenteeism
- Blame culture/ silence
Systemic causes of burnout
- Overwork, shiftwork, lack of oversight
- Chaotic work environments
- Lack of teamwork, fractured training
How might stress or burnout present in medical students?
- Repeatedly failing or nearly failing
- Handing in work late
- Poor attendance
- Absence due to illness
- Behavioural issues
- Fitness to practice issues
- Lack of engagement with the course
- Poor communication with staff, peers and patients
