STRESS IN PSYCHIATRISTS-QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY

SECTION 1

Please indicate the correct answer by inserting the appropriate number in the box:

1. Job title.

1 = FY1 / 2 2 = CT /ST 1-3 3 = ST 4-6 4 = SPECIALIST REGISTRAR

5 =ASSOCIATE SPECIALIST 6 = SPECIALTY DOCTOR

7 = CONSULTANT 8 = GP TRAINEE 9 = OTHER – please specify

2. Are you a career psychiatrist?

1 = YES 2 = NO

3. Age.

1 = 20-34 2 = 35-44 3 = 45-54 4 = 55-64 5= 65+

4. Gender.

1 = MALE 2 = FEMALE

5. Ethnicity.

1 = WHITE 2 = ASIAN or ASIAN BRITISH 3= MIXED

4 = BLACK or BLACK BRITISH 5 = CHINESE 6 =OTHER (please specify)

6. Marital status.

1= MARRIED 2 = SINGLE 3 = DIVORCED 4 = SEPARATED

5 = LIVING WITH PARTNER 6 = WIDOWED

7. Did you qualify in the UK?

1 = YES 2 = NO

If NO, approximately how long have you been UK based?

1 = < 1 year 2 = 1-5 years 3 = 6-10 years 4 = >10 years

8. Approximately how many years have you spent in psychiatry (including training)?

1 = <6 months 2 = 6 months-1 year 3 = 2-5 years

4 = 6-10 years 5 = 11-20 years 6 = >20 years

SECTION 2

Stress can be defined as mental, physical, or emotional strain or tension. It arises when you find it difficult to cope with whatever is demanded of you.

Key: 1 = REDUCED STRESS (change has actually improved your working life) 2 = NO STRESS

3 = SLIGHTLY STRESSED 4 = MODERATELY STRESSED 5 = EXTREMELY STRESSED

6 = NOT APPLICABLE

Please indicate the number, from the key above which best reflects your overall assessment of how stressful the particular situation has been for you in the past 6 months:

Modernisation of mental health services and New ways of working for Psychiatrists

1. Creation of specialist functional teams e.g. Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment,

Early Intervention Psychosis

2. Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team as gate-keepers of inpatient units

and bed management

3. Creation of inpatient / community roles

4. Perception of loss of continuity of care in a patient’s journey

5. Development of generic assessments and nurse led services

6. Perception of lack of full spectrum of illness seen e.g. CMHT consultants not seeing

patients in crisis

7. Perception of marginalisation due to task shifting

8. Working and communication across interfaces

9. Change to Foundation Trust status

10. Conflict with managers

New consultant contract

11. Job-planning process

12. Pay progression process

13. Application for clinical excellence awards

14. Part time and flexible working issues

15. Need for ongoing supporting professional activities e.g. management, teaching, audit

16. Increased demands for more education and training

Key: 1 = REDUCED STRESS (change has actually improved your working life) 2 = NO STRESS

3 = SLIGHTLY STRESSED 4 = MODERATELY STRESSED 5 = EXTREMELY STRESSED

6 = NOT APPLICABLE

17. Additional NHS responsibilities e.g. management, research, clinical tutor.

18. External duties e.g. RoyalCollege, General Medical Council

19. Private practice issues e.g. new code of conduct

20. Need for declaration of conflict of interest/sponsorship

Modernising medical careers and Working time directive.

21. Training needs Vs service delivery

22. Reorganisationof training e.g. new training programmes and support structures

23. Application for CT / ST posts and recruitment process

24. Work-placed based assessments and time commitment

25. Restructuring of membership examinations

26. Prospects for future consultant posts

27. Emergency on-call work

Legislation changes

28. Mental Capacity Act & DOLS- need for retraining and increased workload

29. Mental Health Act reforms

30. Yearly appraisals

31. Prospects of need for revalidation

32. Keeping up with the rapid pace of change in the NHS

33. Worries about complaints

34. Fear of litigation

Job Vs home demands.

35. Demands of job interfering with family life

36. Demands of job interfering with social life

Key: 1 = REDUCED STRESS (change has actually improved your working life) 2 = NO STRESS

3 = SLIGHTLY STRESSED 4 = MODERATELY STRESSED 5 = EXTREMELY STRESSED

6 = NOT APPLICABLE

37. If you have children: a) arranging child care

b) sickness of children

38. If you do not have children, deciding when to start a family

39. Coping with sickness in self

40. Coping with sickness in partner / close family member

Working with colleagues

41. Working in multidisciplinary teams

42. Conflict with colleagues

43. Perception of bullying

44. Lack of peer support

45. Inadequate secretarial support

46. Providing cover for absent colleagues

47. Need to delegate work to team members without adequate competencies

Working environment

48. Clinical e.g. availability of interview rooms

49. Office in clinical area and safety concerns

50. General e.g. cleanliness, heating, sound, isolation, and parking (please specify and rate):

Unreasonable expectations of job – problems of multiple masters

51. Public expectations

52. Patient and carer expectations

53. Financial expectations

54. Expectations re: suicide and homicide rates

55. Expectations of professional Vs legislative bodies

Please discuss and rate other areas of stress you have experienced:

SECTION 3

When you are feeling stressed, do you…?

Key: 1 = NEVER 2 = RARELY 3 = SOMETIMES 4 = OFTEN 5 = VERY OFTEN

Please can you insert the appropriate number, from the key above, to indicate how you usually respond to stress:

1. Drink alcohol

2. Smoke

3. Use illicit substances

4. Gamble

5. Worry

6. Isolate yourself

7. Loose sleep

8. Get angry and irritable with family / friends / colleagues

9. Get angry and irritable with patients

10. Drive badly

11. Blame yourself

12. Change the amount you eat

13. Feel low in mood

14. Feel anxious

15. Go on as if everything is fine

16. Lose your sense of humour

17. Drive yourself harder

18. Become more accident prone

19. Self prescribe medication - please specify and rate:

20. Please specify and rate any other ways you respond to stress:

SECTION 4

When you are stressed, do you suffer from...?

Key: 1 = NEVER 2 = RARELY 3 = SOMETIMES 4 = OFTEN 5 = VERY OFTEN

Please insert the appropriate number, from the key above:

1. Headaches

2. Tiredness

3. Muscle pains

4. Physical symptoms of anxiety

5. Symptoms of a depressive illness

6. Exacerbation of existing physical problems

(please specify and rate):

7. Other - please specify and rate:

SECTION 5

How do you cope with stress?

Please insert the appropriate number, from the key above, which best indicates how you usually cope with stress:

1. Exercise

2. Watch television / go to movies / theatre / etc

3. Seek support from partner / family / friends

4. Socialise

5. Participate in religious activities

6. Have a complete break from work

7. Confide in colleagues

8. Manage your time better

9. Use relaxation techniques

Key: 1 = NEVER 2 = RARELY 3 = SOMETIMES 4 = OFTEN 5 = VERY OFTEN

10. See your GP

11. See a psychiatrist

12. Seek counselling

13. Treat yourself to something e.g. clothes

14. Take more interest in hobbies

15. Please specify and rate other ways in which you cope with stress:

SECTION 6

Have you:

Please indicate the appropriate number for the answer (1 = Yes 2 = No):

1. Seriously considered a change of job?

2. Seriously considered a change of speciality?

3. Seriously considered retiring early?

4. Seriously considered leaving medicine?

5. Seriously considered suicide?

6. Ever self prescribed psychotropic medication?

Any other comments:

THANK YOU FOR COMPLETING THE FORM

PLEASE EITHER EMAIL IT TO:

OR RETURN BY POST TO:

Jane Kimber

Secretary to Dr S Rathod

MELBURY LODGE

Romsey Road,Winchester

SO22 5DG

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