My typical day in surgery currently consists of about 35, 10-minute patient consultations presenting with a wide range of problems such as vaccine queries, long covid symptoms, heart disease, antenatal checks, suicidal ideation, rectal bleeding, and febrile children. Then I have to do my admin, referrals, review prescription requests, hospital letters, and blood results.
1. Tell us about your upbringing, background, and journey?
I’m a British-born Chinese, son of two immigrant parents from Hong Kong. I grew up in Leicester, England, and was fortunate to have a loving family and receive a good education.
I’m now an NHS General Practitioner (GP) or Primary Care Physician who specializes in mental health and supporting the wellbeing of healthcare professionals. I lead on Wellbeing for all newly qualified GPs in their first 5 years post qualification for the Royal College of General Practitioners and co-founded an organization called The WorkWell Doctors which provides strategies and resources to help NHS staff live happy, healthy, fulfilling lives.
During my journey, I’ve faced some tough challenges along the way (bullying, fear of disownment for being gay, pay partner becoming ill) but I truly believe each adverse event has been an opportunity to grow and learn and my experiences have helped me become a more compassionate and empathetic doctor and made me who I am today.
2. Why did you choose to be a doctor and decide what you specifically want to do?
I have vivid memories of my family doctor, who seemed to always have the answers, which amazed me when I was growing up and with an interest in science, a curiosity for life, and an affinity for connecting with others I think General Practice was always my goal. However, there is a stigma against GPs - that it is a backup option and I did consider other medical careers before realizing I was proud to become a GP.
I dabbled with the idea of Paediatrics and Psychiatry before coming to the conclusion that with General Practice I get to provide care from birth all the way to the end of life and treat everything in between.
3. How do you expect healthcare to change over the next 5 years?
As doctors, we are trained to treat the body and mind as separate entities but there is a wide base of research to show that actually health is far more interconnected (eg the gut-brain axis) and I believe we need to treat all conditions holistically. Primary Care in the UK is already progressing in that direction and is employing many new roles such as Social Prescribers and Health & Well-being Coaches.
They help our patients focus on their overall health and wellbeing, manage many of the social issues which underly health conditions, and focus on preventative medicine through lifestyle factors such as good nutrition.
4. What are your concerns about the well-being of healthcare professionals?
During the pandemic, we have seen a massive increase in the number of healthcare professionals suffering from mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. With multiple systemic issues including increasing workload, poor management, underfunding, and reduced staffing it is of paramount importance that workplaces provide adequate resources, flexible working, and support to care for their workforce to prevent increasing rates of burnout.
5. Can you let us know any progress, in your country which has impressed you?
The silver lining of Covid-19 is that it has shone a spotlight on the wellbeing of our workforce and many organizations have taken positive steps to prioritize staff health, recognizing the importance of culture change and valuing workers with sustainable improvements.
There have also been multiple new organizations and initiatives to provide psychological support and counseling for NHS staff to deal with the high rates of stress, grief, and burnout.
6. What is your message for aspiring doctors and the young generation? Which is the best medical college according to you?
If your goal is to become a doctor then I say go for it! Work hard but also maintain your interests outside of medicine because they will sustain you when things get difficult and have faith in yourself. Having graduated from Imperial College London, I’m of course biased to say it was the best but I firmly believe it was the people I befriended, who inspired, supported me, and kept me drove and it’s the people you surround yourself with who make you your best self.
7. What does your typical day look like and what do you like to do besides work?
My typical day in surgery currently consists of about 35, 10-minute patient consultations presenting with a wide range of problems such as vaccine queries, long covid symptoms, heart disease, antenatal checks, suicidal ideation, rectal bleeding, and febrile children. Then I have to do my admin, referrals, review prescription requests, hospital letters, and blood results.
On my other days, I chair meetings for the Local Medical Committee which represents GPs, I am currently doing a Diploma in Coaching and run workplace well-being training for various organizations and hospital trusts. I also teach on a virtual simulation training course and support doctors returning to work.
In my spare time, I love cooking and run an NHS activist choir called The National Health Supporters Choir which also raises money for mental health charities.
It’s a busy portfolio career but I love it. My main advice would be to work out your purpose and values - what drives you and what brings you real joy in a day?
I feel I’ve really found my purpose and know that all the work I do fits in with my values of connection, growth, equality, and support.
Good luck in all your endeavors and feel free to follow my journey @dralexlai
And for more information about workplace well-being follow @theworkwelldoctors or visit our website.
NHS General Practitioner (GP) or Primary Care Physician Who Specializes in Mental Health and Supporting the Wellbeing of Healthcare Professionals
Interviewed By: Priyanshu Gupta
This interview is sponsored by Plus91 Technologies, a leading Digital Health firm.
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