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Welfare of Anaesthetists

Executive Committee

Aims of the SIG

WOAG MISSION: Our function

WOAG VISION: Future Directions

WOAG GOALS: Strategies to fulfil our mission and vision

Welfare of Anaesthetists SIG Annual General Meeting

Executive Committee

The Executive of the Welfare of Anaesthetists SIG meets regularly, usually via teleconference to discuss matters related to the group's area of interest. Please feel free to contact any of the listed Executive members.

Title	Name	Region
Chair	Dr Tracey Tay	NSW
Member	Dr Margie Cowling	SA
Member	Dr John Crowhurst	VIC
Member	Dr Genevieve Goulding	QLD
Member	Dr Diana Khursandi	QLD
RANZCP Rep	Prof George Mendelson	VIC

The Welfare of Anaesthetists Group has been meeting on a regular basis since August 1995. The Group was formed to raise awareness of the many personal and professional issues which can adversely affect the physical and emotional well-being of anaesthetists and intensivists at all stages of their careers. In 1998 the group became an official Special Interest Group, with ANZCA providing the secretariat. The group is an informative, educative and referral group; it has no therapeutic role.

Aims of the SIG

The aims of the group are:

To promote the personal and psychological well-being of anaesthetists, intensivists, and pain medicine practitioners.
To heighten awareness of welfare issues in anaesthetists and intensivists.

It achieves these aims by:

Educating anaesthetists, intensivists and trainees in the care of their personal and psychological health, and that of their colleagues, fostering a climate of care, openness and support.
Identifying issues causing stress in anaesthetists’ and intensivists’ lives.
Establishing guidelines for management of welfare-related problems ("Resource Documents ").

Expanding CME activities to include education on issues such as lifestyle, mental health, relationships, stress management and personal development, by holding sessions at state and national meetings, one day seminars, and regional Seminars for trainees and trainers.
Developing support strategies within and outside the profession
Establishing a website, a resource brochure, a resource network & a reading list
Facilitating access to, and liaison with existing helping agencies (e.g., Doctors' Health Advisory Services - DHAS)
Advertising Welfare activities and support schemes (in ASA & NZSA Newsletters, ANZCA Bulletin)
Liaising with ANZCA, ASA, NZSA, & other organisations
Researching and collecting data

WOAG MISSION: Our function

The Welfare of Anaesthetists Special Interest Group was formed to promote the concept of physician health, both physical and mental. It is our intention to make physician health issues mainstream and regarded as integral to healthy doctor-patient, doctor-family and doctor-workplace relationships. Our activities include, (but are not limited to): Education (trainees as well as specialists), liaison with other professional bodies, guidance (but not direct treatment or referral) for appropriate management of physician health problems).

WOAG VISION: Future Directions

Research and data on welfare issues in Australian/New Zealand anaesthetists. Wide acceptance by professional bodies and health administrations of the importance of welfare issues.
Development of workplace practices that support anaesthetists and keep them well.

WOAG GOALS: Strategies to fulfil our mission and vision

Plenary sessions at major CME meetings
Free-standing SIG meetings
Annual state-based meetings on welfare and professional issues for trainees
Creation of a database
Health and welfare surveys