Doctors' Health Advisory Service Western Australia
The Doctors Health Advisory Service Western Australia (DHASWA) is an independent not for profit association that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of doctors and medical students in Western Australia (WA)
Background
The Doctors’ Health Advisory Service of Western Australia (DHASWA) became a formal Association in November 2016. It was formerly known as “Colleague of First Contact” which was established as an independent entity in the 1980s and renamed DHASWA in 2011. The main service provided by DHASWA was a 24/7 advice line for doctors and medical students, staffed by a panel of experienced GPs. Since 2016 DHASWA has received funding from the Medical Board of Australia (MBA), to help support and expand its services.
Importantly, DHASWA has always been, and remains, a wholly independent entity separate from any other organisation including the AMA, and is exempt from the Mandatory Reporting requirements of MBA.
Objectives
The purpose of DHASWA is to improve “the health and wellbeing of the medical profession in the public interest for the benefit of the community”. Its main objectives are:
- Providing confidential support to medical practitioners including medical students concerning their personal health problems.
- Promoting health education and training of medical practitioners to the medical profession including the promotion of self-care;
- Promoting the education and training of medical practitioners who treat medical practitioners;
- Promoting the development of resources to assist in the development, implementation and promotion of medical practitioner’s health services.
- Promoting, in the public interest, measures to assist medical practitioners in maintaining their health and wellbeing;
- Promoting a healthy lifestyle and healthy workplace for medical practitioners;
- Working in collaboration with the Medical Benevolent Association WA to meet common goals;
- Establishing and promoting dedicated health networks to support medical practitioners;
- Promoting research into medical practitioners’ health and cooperate with learned colleges, universities and professional medical organisations to meet shared objectives;
- Promoting measures to assist medical practitioners to manage their health and wellbeing, both at work and away from work, including liaison with media, hospital and health services, regulatory authorities, medical defence organisations, learned colleges, universities, professional medical organisations and other training organisations.