Soon hundreds of University students will be finishing their studies after years of hard work. Most will be excited that in a few months’ time they will be entering the real world of work. Many healthcare graduates will be looking forward to meeting their first patients in our hospitals or clinics.

They will undoubtedly feel proud of their achievement in starting a career that promises gratitude, comfort and undeniable privilege. But the real world of medical care is quite different.

As western societies continue to age and immigration puts increasing pressure on the public health infrastructure, few people realise the pressures that healthcare providers have to face as human and other resources to keep the system going are rationed by cash strapped administrations.

Even a brief visit to our health centres or one of our State hospitals should be enough to understand why we need to do better in supporting our doctors, nurses and paramedics. The country has invested substantial amounts of money to train these often altruistic persons who subject themselves to tough training regimes to eventually serve the community as healthcare providers.

Every profession has its stressors. But the medical profession is undoubtedly one of the most demanding. Whether one is a nurse, a family doctor, a surgeon, a physiotherapist or practicing any other healthcare profession, the stress of witnessing human suffering on a daily basis is uniquely onerous. Many rightly argue that there is an epidemic of silent suffering amongst our healthcare providers that often leads to debilitating burnout.

The medical profession is undoubtedly one of the most demanding

This is not helped by the culture of medicine where there may not be enough empathy amongst the healthcare professionals themselves. Juggling patients, family and personal relationships is no easy task.

The whole community needs to understand that stressed out medical staff are more prone to human error. Stressed out medics can hardly rely on support from their own colleagues who are just as overworked and can at best just offer sympathy.

It is a sad reality that while most patients are grateful for the dedication of our healthcare professionals, some resort to constant complaining, verbal abuse and physical harm directed at medical and paramedical staff.

Bullying of medical staff both by the public and at times by hospital managers is an issue that only adds to the difficult working conditions that exist in most hospitals and clinics.

Our appreciation of the sterling work given by most healthcare professionals should take the form of making our political administrators aware of the importance of reducing stress on these people.

Unfortunately, many have a sense of entitlement as they demand impeccable service in our free public health system.

Yet medical staff have to work long shifts and deal with difficult decisions, near-misses, moral dilemmas, inadequate management systems, formal complaints, legal threats, frustrated colleagues, needy patients and their demanding relatives.

Expecting our medical staff to deal with these pressures while at the same time guarantee that the best clinical decisions are taken at all times may be asking for too much. Healthcare workers are just human beings that decide to dedicate their lives to making the lives of the rest of us healthier.

No amount of money can instil the right motivation in these people. What is needed is better support from their employers and from the community at large to enable them to cope with their tough routine.

Recently a senior Australian gastroenterologist committed suicide. In his farewell letter to his wife he explained that despite his deteriorating mental health he ‘continued to see patients, do lists, go to work, and get home late.’ I am sure that many other medical staff can understand this dangerous lifestyle pattern that often leads to serious mental health deterioration.

Healthcare professionals can start to improve this situation by caring more for themselves. Burnt out medics are not of much use to their patients. A doctor or nurse can be more effective in their work if they make sure that they first care for their own physical and mental health.

Hospital and clinic managers must banish the notion that healthcare workers are professionals and can take on any pressure that is thrown at them.

Good medicine relies on having time to reflect, absorb, falter and then recover from the incidents that characterise most medical practitioners’ professional lives.

Ensuring that our healthcare providers are adequately supported emotionally and professionally in their tough working lives can only make our society fairer and more prosperous in the long term.

johncassarwhite@yahoo.com