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This conference aimed at senior clinicians, clinical directors, responsible officers, medical directors and clinical leads, focuses on managing and supporting doctors in difficulty. Managing colleagues in difficulty and doctors with difficult behaviour is generally seen to be the most challenging element of a Clinical or Medical Directors role. This conference aims to support you to identify concerns early, diagnose the issues, and ensure effective intervention and support doctors who are experiencing difficulty or demonstrating difficult behaviours.
“As you continue to provide the best possible care for your patients, please also remember to care for each other, and yourselves. Compassion is a powerful antidote to stress; and empathy and understanding can ease the burden doctors carry….Medicine is not an easy vocation, but it is an immensely valuable and rewarding one. It is a privilege to be at the centre of people’s lives when they need us most, seeing the impact of our skills and experience on our patients and being trusted in a way that few other professions are. The responsibilities are profound, but there is no greater satisfaction than knowing that you have made a difference though your judgement, expertise and care. In the toughest moments, never forget that what you do matters.”
Dame Carrie MacEwen General Medical Council December 2024
“We know that the environments in which doctors, PAs and AAs work affect the care they’re able to provide. Someone who is working under extreme pressure will not deliver the quality of care they’d aspire to.. Using our influence to improve doctors’ experiences and working environments is a core part of our duty to protect patients.”
General Medical Council April 2025
“We know that a pressured working environment can impact on a practitioner’s ability to perform well, put strain on working relationships and lead to physical and mental health problems.”
Practitioner performance advice, NHS Resolution 2025
“Last year, nearly 10,000 doctors gave up their licence to practise. This represents a huge loss, to their employers, their colleagues and, most importantly, to their patients…‘Poor working conditions and wellbeing issues are pushing practitioners out. The research found that overwork and poor work-life balance were factors in almost all migration decisions. Doctors who may otherwise have had long careers in this country are voting with their feet, and it’s draining the system of talent it cannot afford to lose.”
Charlie Massey, Chief Executive, GMC
“While clinical performance assessments are stable, there has been steady and sustained growth in behavioural assessments and action plans, reflecting a shift in the type of support NHS organisations are seeking.”
NHS Resolution 24th April 2025
Through national updates, case studies from experienced Medical and Clinical Directors, and in depth interactive sessions this conference will enable senior clinicians to manage concerns and work with doctors in difficulty, support doctors with health or mental health issues, embedding effective teamworking and manage difficult behaviour and conduct issues. Extended interactive sessions will focus on managing and supporting doctors in difficulty, doctors experiencing physical or mental health concerns, and managing and working with difficult colleagues. The conference will also update delegates on employment law, the May 2025 GMC fitness to practice guidance and look at resolution of concerns around professional practice including remedial and developmental action.
The conference includes an extended focus on supporting neurodiversity and ADHD in Doctors. It is estimated that around 15% of people in the UK are neurodivergent and so it is vital that neurodivergent doctors are supported in an inclusive workplace.
“Symptoms related to ADHD and autism present in increasing numbers of people seeking help for mental health”
NHS Practitioner Health May 2025
“My neurodevelopmental disorder is lifelong. It’s not going to disappear, but medical careers might if the system, and the support it offers us, resists change.”
Catriona McVey, Medical Student speaking to the BMJ
“The need for compassionate leadership and its effect on the delivery of safe patient care is now well evidenced… It recommended that clinical leads and other doctors’ leaders should be recruited, selected, developed, assessed, and supported to model compassionate and inclusive leadership.”
Professor Dame Carrie MacEwen, General Medical Council April 2024
This conference will enable you to:
Network with colleagues who are working support doctors in difficulty
Reflect on a lived experience perspective
Developing your skills in compassionate leadership
Embed the 2025 Guidance to ensure greater clarity and consistency in handling of fitness to practise concerns
Learn from outstanding practice in working with doctors to tackle unprofessional, difficult or disruptive behaviours which can impact on patient safety and outcomes
Understand the impact of current workforce pressures and ensure enhanced support
Develop practical solutions to bring joy back into day to day practice
An extended session on developing your skills to better support Neurodiverse Doctors
Fatigue and Burnout: Looking after yourself and your colleagues
Explore the practicalities of managing doctors in difficulty from a Medical Directors perspective
Improve the way concerns are identified and responded to
Gain an understanding of the support available to support poorly performing clinicians
Support Doctors to improve teamworking and their place within the team
Understand how you can improve support for doctors experiencing mental health, physical health or clinical performance ncerns
Supporting international medical graduates and doctors who qualified outside the UK
Identify key strategies for enabling resolution and remedial/developmental action
Understand the HR and Legal context
Supports CPD professional development and acts as revalidation evidence. This course provides 5 Hrs training for CPD subject to peer group approval for revalidation purposes
