Wellbeing resources

It is important for all members to remember that sound mental health and wellbeing is paramount when delivering high-quality healthcare to patients. Even outside of these unusual times, healthcare students and practitioners can face a range of issues that can impair and affect their physical and mental wellbeing including factors relating to the negative impacts of medico-legal issues and threats to personal safety in the workplace and at university. Whether real or perceived, when dealing with these health-related matters, there can be some self-inflicted or external barriers to seeking assistance and support. For example:

• Desiring to keep issues confidential
• Embarrassment relating to the associated stigma of ill health
• Difficulty accessing help
• The potential impacts on career development
• The implications of mandatory reporting on your career and perceptions among your peers

These concerns can result in inadequate preventative care, self-diagnosis, self-treatment or delayed presentation of an illness. This can impact a practitioner’s standing with AHPRA, colleges and associations.

Members must take necessary steps to seek appropriate assistance and help. As an indemnity provider, MIPS is exempt from AHPRA’s requirement to make mandatory notifications, so rest assured your discussion with an experienced clinician will remain confidential.

MIPS’ 24-hour Medico-Legal Advisory and Support

Comprehensive advice and support from independent and experienced advisers, legal practitioners and clinicians. Call 1800 061 113.

MIPS members have on-demand access to a range of education resources across a variety of topics including health and wellbeing.

R U Ok? Day

MIPS is an avid supporter of R U Ok? Day and we encourage all members including students and practitioners, to:
1. Ask,
2. Listen,
3. Encourage action and
4. Check in with their colleagues, family and friends.

Asking for help isn’t always easy and sometimes we may not recognise we need to talk about how we are coping unless we are asked, and someone is willing to listen. We encourage you to find out how to ask by visiting R U Ok?

Other health and advice services

Doctors’ health advisory services

Health advisory services in each state provide assistance with personal advice to practitioners and students facing difficulties, personal crisis and stress.

Rural Support Services

Support services and resources to support wellbeing of rural practitioners.

College and Professional Associations

Practitioners should contact their colleges and professional associations to explore the support frameworks and resources to help practitioners with their health and wellbeing. For example ACEM, AMA, ANZCA, RACDS, RACP, RACGP, RACS, RANZCP

Crisis support lines

Other support networks

Prevention is better than cure

Resilience and Mindfulness

The health and wellbeing of our members, colleagues and stakeholders is important. Here are a few techniques you may find useful to maintain your own health and wellbeing. Always pay attention to what it is you enjoy doing and what techniques are most effective in helping you cope in a healthy and positive way.

Resilience is the capacity to respond to stress in a healthy way, to bounce back after challenges while also growing stronger. Learning what coping strategies work for you is important to enable you to deal with stress and maintain a sense of control in your life.

Some coping strategies might include:

• Finding time to relax
• Exercising or meditating
• Breaking down a challenging task into achievable goals
• Celebrating goals achieved however small
• Thinking about the big picture

You can strengthen your resilience to better cope with the challenging situations by:

• Knowing your strengths
• Building on your self-esteem
• Building healthy relationships
• Asking for help
• Managing your stress and anxiety levels
• Continuing to work on problem solving skills and coping strategies

Some useful resources:

Mindfulness can be described as the practice of focussing on the present moment, doing it intentionally and with non-judgment. Typical activities include:

• Meditating while seated or mobile.
• Being aware of breath, body, emotions and/or thoughts
• Living in the moment and accepting yourself
• Paying attention and listening with non-judgment

Some useful resources:

If you are experiencing any difficulty, we encourage you to make avail of these resources and if you have any queries regarding your membership, please contact MIPS on 1800 061 113.

MIPS education update

Navigating the Transition: Insights and Advice for New Dentistry Graduates

Has your practice changed?

Medication shortages and the medico-legal risks of finding alternatives

Recognising our own - Australia Day Honours