Background: Information about doctors' mental ill-health is limited. This study looks at doctors' careers following mental illness and the strategies that helped them return to work.
Aim: To examine the effect of mental ill-health on doctors' careers.
Methods: Questionnaire survey of members of the Doctors Support Network (DSN). The DSN is a peer support group for doctors who have experienced, or are experiencing, mental ill-health.
Results: One hundred and sixteen doctors (35% response rate) returned completed questionnaires (n = 116, 63% female, 37% male). Prior to their ill-health, 80% worked full time, 15% part-time, 2% were not working and 3% were medical students. Following illness, 33% worked full time (P < 0.05), 36% part-time (P < 0.05) and 29% were not working (P < 0.01). Flexible working practices were the most helpful reported strategy for enabling a doctor to return to work.
Conclusions: Following mental ill-health, a doctor's capacity to work full time is reduced. Most doctors return to full-time or part-time work. With improved support, more doctors may be able to return to work.