Engelsk titel: Peer counsellors’ views on the collegial support scheme for doctors
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Författare:
Rö, Karin Isaksson
;
Aasland, Olaf Gjerlöw
Email: karin.ro@legeforeningen.no
Språk: Nor
Antal referenser: 21
Dokumenttyp:
Artikel
UI-nummer: 16047276
Sammanfattning
BACKGROUND The health condition and health-related behaviour of doctors are important to the doctors themselves as well as
for their treatment of patients. The collegial support scheme is a county-based and easily accessible health and care service for
doctors. We therefore wanted to describe the framework and functions of this scheme and examine its utility.
MATERIAL AND METHOD Fourteen focus-group interviews with a total of 61 peer counsellors from all the counties were
conducted. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed with the aid of systematic text condensation.
RESULTS The framework - easy accessibility, a readily available offer of up to three sessions, a high degree of confidentiality
and informal contact - was emphasised as crucial for doctors to make use of the scheme. The peer counsellors described their
role as that of a listener and supportive helper. They helped bring clarity and discuss possible needs for further follow-up or
treatment of numerous different and frequently complex issues. The peer counsellors highlighted three benefits in particular: the
scheme helps raise awareness by legitimising help-seeking behaviour among doctors, it is a contingency scheme, and it eases
the burden by lowering the threshold to seeking out further advice and treatment.
INTERPRETATION A systematic evaluation of the collegial support scheme is important for an understanding of the totality of the
collegial health and care services. The collegial support scheme may lower the threshold to seeking help, and encourage some
doctors to seek necessary treatment.