Obstetrics and Gynaecology is under threat. Practitioners are overworked, under appreciated, poorly remunerated and often feel victimized and targeted by funders, stakeholders, the legal fraternity, etc. This is prior to consulting with the demanding patient, who has consulted Dr. Google or Midwife Wikipedia and often questions the doctors integrity, ethics and purposed evidence based treatment plan. Health care practitioners personal safety has also been threatened both in the public and private sector.

SASOG will launch a wellness programme to further support our colleagues who feels the pressures of practicing within this environment.

It is widely accepted that healthcare workers are particularly vulnerable to occupational stress. It involves the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when job requirements do not match the capabilities, resources or needs of a worker.

Physician well being is essential and both emotional and physical exhaustion is recognised as one of the core components of burnout. Depersonalisation or cynicism is another layer to burnout along with disengagement and loss of expectations.