How are we to sustain the enthusiasm and effort we need, to maintain a high standard of primary care in a time of austerity? This half day workshop program, which gathers together some facts about doctors’ resilience, and offers insights and new skills, starts with assumption that doctoring is inherently stressful. Yet stress interferes with decision-making, empathy, connectedness and communication: all faculties the doctor needs in full. The reasons for this are rooted in our evolutionary biology. If burnout proceeds from irritability and exhaustion into cynicism and detachment, patient overload will make an already difficult job seem impossible. Fortunately neuroscience throws some light on ways to reduce burnout risks, stay sharp even under pressure and to regain the resilience and energy we need for creating necessary change.

Reflections •

How resilient do we feel? WORKSHOP •

Why now? The stresses of clinical work PRESENTATION •

Clinician stress: impact on patients and colleagues WORKSHOP

• management and lifestyle WORKSHOP

Realities •

Evolution and emotions PRESENTATION •

Neurobiology of stress and resilience PRESENTATION •

Survival instincts, empathy and communication PRESENTATION •

Burnout and how to recognise it WORKSHOP

Resources •

Regulating your autonomic NS: can it be done? DEMO/EXPERIENTIAL

 Building resilience and managing our own stress WORKSHOP

Your Resilience Matrix WORKSHOP

Setting goals for taking care of ourselves WORKSHOP

Learning aims

Knowledge about individual and organisational stressors in medicine

Understanding of neurobiology of resilience, empathy and burnout

Experience of skills and their impact

Mindfulness

HRV biofeedback

Regulated breathing

Positive emotion

Reflection on • Resilience and stressors • Burnout • Own biofeedback data showing stress response and recovery • Own personal ‘Resilience Matrix’ • Accounts from colleagues • SMART goals for resilience building

Learning outcomes To explore the individual’s experience of the effects of stress in the workplace To gain insights and techniques to maintain mental wellbeing To feel empowered to improve working life and thus self and patient care.

Any questions please contaction Kate; k.fismer@my.westminster.ac.uk

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS COURSE IS FOR GP's only.