‘We are largely left out’: workplace and psychosocial experiences of Australian general practitioners during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic
Allen Gu
A B , Karen Willis C , Margaret Kay D , Kathryn Hutt E and Natasha Smallwood F G *
A Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3010, Australia.
B Royal Melbourne Hospital, 300 Grattan Street, Parkville, Vic. 3050, Australia.
C Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Footscray Park, Footscray, Vic. 3011, Australia.
D General Practice Clinical Unit, Level 8 Health Sciences Building, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Herston, Qld 4029, Australia.
E Doctors’ Health Advisory Service (NSW), Suite 207, 69 Christie Street, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia.
F Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Road, Prahran, Vic. 3004, Australia.
G Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Central Clinical School, The Alfred Hospital, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic. 3004, Australia.
Australian Journal of Primary Health 29(1) 47-55 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY22103
Submitted: 24 May 2022 Accepted: 13 October 2022 Published: 15 November 2022
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of La Trobe University. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to exert a significant toll on the Australian primary healthcare system. Although wellbeing challenges faced by hospital-based healthcare workers are widely discussed, less is known about the experiences of general practitioners (GPs) during the initial phases of the pandemic. This paper reports qualitative survey data from Australian GPs, examining their workplace and psychosocial experiences during the initial months of the pandemic.
Methods: An Australia-wide, cross-sectional, online survey of frontline healthcare workers was conducted in 2020. A qualitative approach using content analysis was utilised to examine responses to four free-text questions from GPs.
Results: A total of 299 GPs provided 888 free-text responses. The findings reveal that general practice was overlooked and undervalued within the pandemic response, resulting in negative impacts on GP wellbeing. Four themes were identified: (1) marginalisation of GPs; (2) uncertainty, undersupported and undervalued in the workplace; (3) isolation and disrupted personal lives; and (4) strategies to support GPs during times of crises. Key concerns included poor access to personal protective equipment, occupational burnout and poor wellbeing, insufficient workplace support, and conflicting or confusing medical guidelines.
Conclusions: Primary healthcare constitutes an essential pillar of the Australian healthcare system. This study presents the many factors that impacted on GP wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Enabling GP voices to be heard and including GPs in decision-making in preparation for future crises will enhance the delivery of primary care, reducing the burden on hospital services, and help sustain a safe and effective health workforce long term.
Keywords: coronavirus, COVID-19, frontline, general practice, healthcare workers, mental health, pandemic, primary health care, qualitative research.
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