Healing the healer: embedding evidence-based nutrition and physical activity guidance in the NHS to improve doctors’ health and wellbeing

Occupational stress on NHS health workers is ever increasing due to growing national healthcare demands and increased governmental pressures for saving efficiencies. Poor staff health costs the NHS £2.4 bn p.a. from absenteeism; making staff wellness critical to the NHS agenda (NHS, 2018). Amongst the key challenges is the burnout epidemic amongst doctors (Panagiotis et al. 2018) and work shift patterns that are associated with poor health and fatigue (Caruso, 2014). Workplace health and wellness promotion initiatives are therefore, imperative to address the prevalence of burnout and improve health. Here, a holistic emphasis on nutrition, physical activity (PA) and psychological wellbeing is crucial given that medicine has traditionally neglected this area. Whilst the UoW is leading the way in developing and implementing psychological strategies (Cheshire et al. 2017); this project will elucidate the role of PA and nutrition in improving doctors’ well-being. The PhD candidate will undertake action research using a mix-methods approach in order to design and evaluate the effect of a nutrition and PA interventions to improve the health and wellness of doctors. This programme will enable the candidate to gain transferable academic skills and exposure to collaborative applied research, which will enhance the candidate’s future career opportunities.

The project will be supported by an experienced interdisciplinary research team; which includes, psychology and doctor research (AC and DR), GP clinical practise (DP), nutrition and PA (SD). The supervision team have an excellent track record of supporting doctoral students to publish in peer reviewed journals. The project team possesses strong ties with NHS trusts and relevant organisational bodies including, Primary Care Departments at Keele University and University of Oxford, the Royal College of General Practitioners, Guys and St Thomas NHS trust, as well as being members of the Practitioner Health Research Consortium. These collaborations will ensure project research questions are pertinent to the needs of society and also help support direct access to the end user (i.e. NHS doctors).

Informal enquiries to: Dr Sanjoy Deb, [Email Address Removed]