Watch our interview with Professor Jo Yarker, who is leading the MPS Foundation funded project Thriving at work - Identifying and managing work-related risks to health and wellbeing for healthcare professionals working in private practice.
Watch the full interview and learn how you can get involved in the research here.
Estimated read time: 6 mins
Stress and mental health at work is one of the leading causes of absence in health care settings. According to the World Dental Federation dentists are particularly vulnerable to burnout syndrome and mental health struggles in their daily work.
Despite these warnings, little research has focused on understanding the nuances and risk factors to health and wellbeing of working in dental practice.
We are therefore pleased to announce the launch of Thrive at Work, a research project looking into mental health and wellbeing in dental professionals, supported by the MPS Foundation.
Given the increasing shortage of dental professionals with many exiting the profession, and the efforts needed to catch up from the pandemic backlog, those who are continuing to practice are under increased pressure. The need to support and protect their wellbeing has never been greater.
Generalisations are drawn from research into the wellbeing of healthcare professionals. However this is often focused on the public sector, and does not capture the nuances of working in the private sector – for example, running a profitable business, different governance structures, and different patient demands when delivering a paid-for service. Private settings are also typically smaller than their public counterparts, and there are fewer support services available to dental professionals.
Our project aims to identify aspects of the work environment that are considered most stressful, and target interventions and resources that help dental professionals understand their personal work-related risks and develop skills to manage these risks. This will ultimately support their mental health and help dental professionals thrive in their work.
The project is broken down into four phases:
Phase 1: Project foundations Engaging key stakeholders and conducting a literature review, to understanding what is known about the challenges facing medical and dental practitioners working in private practice.
Phase 2: Understanding the work-related risks to health and wellbeing of private clinicians We aim to develop an in-depth understanding of the risks and impacts of working in private sector healthcare on individual and organisational outcomes through one-to-one interviews and a short survey.
Phase 3: Develop resources to support private clinicians. Informed by the findings, wider evidence on mental health at work, and our professional practice, we will develop guidance and resources to support private clinicians.
Phase 4: Reporting and dissemination of findings We will produce a final report of findings and recommendations, and supported by our steering group, share findings through publications and conferences.
Conversations with our steering group members have contributed to a greater understanding of the need for support in private practice. Tools and resources are required to help clinicians identify triggers to mental health problems and to access support. Despite the financial rewards, work demands and risks are high in private practice. In a profession where clinicians can feel isolated, our steering group has highlighted the importance of formal and informal support through peers, networks, and institutions.
The next phase of the project is to conduct interviews and a survey across a larger number of clinicians to deepen our understanding and tailor resources.
There are still opportunities to take part in this project. You too can contribute to our understanding of mental health and wellbeing in private practice. We would love to hear from you if you would like to take part in an interview and share your thoughts on working conditions and health and wellbeing where you work. Have your say by completing our short survey or register to stay informed on the research and findings. Click here to find out more, or see Affinity Health at Work website or the MPS Foundation for further information. https://www.affinityhealthatwork.com/current-studies/1759
