Summary: ‘As doctors and physicians ultimately, our main goal is the well-being, health and wellness of our patients. We all entered medicine for that reason.' In this fascinating roundtable discussion, Dr. Shan Hussain is with Dr. Haidar Al-Hakim host of the ‘Surgical Spirit’ podcast, Dr. Paul Polyvios host of the ‘A Doctor’s View’ podcast and Dr. Suhail Hussain portfolio GP for both the NHS and private sectors and senior tutor at 3 London medical schools. Together they discuss wide-ranging topics in a very honest dialogue that is both refreshing and entertaining. In bringing together their experiences they provide an enthralling insight into the issues faced by doctors and physicians every day across the NHS and private practice. KEY TAKEAWAYS Hidden racism There is a subjective perception about racism, but it’s the hidden and insidious racism that needs to be called out. Evidence shows that British medical graduates who are minority ethnics and of black heritage are 3 times more likely to fail the RCGP exam than white Caucasian British graduates. We have to meet certain expectations, but still be ourselves and connect with others. Any institution mirrors the thoughts of society and there is inherent bias moving down from above, but there are steps being made towards change. The important thing is that we do our jobs to the best of our ability. Racism is everywhere and it’s a reality that we don’t have enough doctors. It’s vital that a way is found to accommodate everyone’s beliefs. Being human It’s impossible to be on top of everything all of the time but as doctors, the expectation is for perfection all of the time. We are all human, and that human connection with our patients is a vital part of the work. It’s a very fine balance, and it seems to be moving away from being human and more towards being algorithmic and protocol-driven. Being human is ultimately what is going to save the medical profession. There is not enough time, personnel, or support for struggling doctors and there is still a stigma about coming forward and asking for help. The fear lies in being adversely judged or having your fitness-to-practise questioned. The unsustainable model of healthcare practice and the well-paid institutions that supposedly support practitioners must be effectively reviewed. Change needs to happen. Recruitment and retention is a huge issue. Early retirement alongside the lack of commitment to long term contracts has led to a fractured and disjointed workforce that doesn’t know colleagues or most importantly patients. The End of the NHS? The mechanism of healthcare is very complicated and the stress of the logistics is huge, making life much more difficult within hospitals. It’s the variables that throw people – the protocols in place and the fear of doing something wrong. If something is not part of a pathway then trainees can find it more challenging to deal with in today’s practice. There has never been a more important time for us to look after our own health. It’s about coming together and looking after ourselves and each other. BEST MOMENTS ‘The official line is they (British-trained BAME candidates) are not working as hard as their white counterparts.’ ‘If people don’t want to see me on the basis of my skin colour, then I’m not the doctor for them. I would rather help people who want my help.’ ‘We are all human and we suffer the same problems our patients do.’ ‘An overstretched ED unit is one of the last places you can practice common sense medicine.’ VALUABLE RESOURCES Enduring Health Podcast Surgical Spirit Podcast A Doctor's View Podcast ABOUT THE HOST Dr. Shan Hussain is an author, general practitioner, health coach, wellness advisor and ambassador to the World Health Innovation Summit. As Founder of The Health Studio and a medical doctor of 18 years, he has a special interest in health promotion and disease prevention. He works with individuals and organisations to help naturally improve health in a sustainable, holistic manner. Dr. Hussain has developed several coaching and mentorship programmes designed to help reverse the symptoms of many stress-related health problems. His best-selling book, 'The Big Prescription' serves as a guide for readers to learn about evidence-based holistic health practices that create the foundation of his work. CONTACT METHOD Connect with Dr. Shan Hussain through his website at https://thehealthstudio.net/ If you would like to support our podcast, please visit our Patreon page https://www.patreon.com/enduringhealth Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/enduringhealth See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
