Keywords: General Practitioners. Physicians. Occupational Health. Self care. Medical Education
Setting:
The Doctors Health & Wellbeing Programme of the Irish College of GPs delivers monthly online Wellbeing Webinars to college members. Member support is part of College Strategy.
Target group:
All college members
Description of the innovative practice or project:
Each year GPs in Ireland must register a minimum number of hours of medical education as part of continuous professional development (CPD) which is monitored by the medical regulatory body.
Each month, the Irish College of GPs send members an email notification listing the topic of the monthly Wellbeing Webinar, details of the guest speaker, with a link to register. Members include GP Trainees, early career GPs, established GPs, locum and retired GPs. The Wellbeing Webinars are delivered during lunchtime on a normal working day as an option to achieve some CPD credits during the day, allowing more time in the evening for work-life balance, family and relaxation. The live webinars may be viewed later on the college education platform.
Topics covered include work-related stress, burnout, nutrition, creativity, mentoring, Balint groups, positive psychology, emotional intelligence and other topics that promote self-care and formal healthcare.
Evaluation:
Feedback from college members to the Education department indicate the Wellbeing Webinars are now established as part of the scope of CPD. The number of participants who register for the Wellbeing Webinars are collated by the College Education Department indicate a steady following. The Webinars are evaluated by members through polls and surveys and feedback to college administration. Members are encouraged to participate in the live chat function, and to recommend future topics and speakers.
Next Steps:
The Wellbeing Webinars will continue in 2025. They will be promoted by college communication channels.
Lessons learned:
CPD can be utilised to promote self-care, health and wellbeing for medical doctors, and not exclusively for clinical education.
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EQuiP is open to both Individual and Organizational Memberships. EQuiP offers a platform to improve the knowledge base and to improve closer collaboration between GPs / Family Doctors, researchers, educators, policy makers and organisations involved in quality and safety in family medicine and primary care.
