Burnout-Free Working

Burnout is ubiquitous among health professionals, but it does not mean one has to suffer in silence. This excellent book explains what burnout is, but more importantly, how to deal with it. – Professor Dame Clare Gerada, PRCGP FRCPsych, Past President Royal College of General PractitionersDr Duggins has collected a lifetime’s wisdom and guidance into this highly readable book. Real to life examples shed light on the phenomenon and will be easily recognisable. This is a hopeful book crammed with tips and techniques for us all. – Alan Currie Consultant, Psychiatrist, CNTW NHS Foundation trust & UK Sports instituteBurnout-Free Working is a wonderfully accessible guide to how to survive and thrive in challenging work environments, including social work and care. It has a positive no-blame focus throughout and recognises the importance of addressing organisational cultures and practices that are inimical to wellbeing, as well as building interpersonal relationships that may prevent us from falling over the ‘burnout cliff’. – Jerry Tew, Professor of Mental Health and Social Work at Birmingham UniversityIn this valuable guide Dr Duggins reflects on his clinical work in the territory of burnout. We are steered past the pitfalls to higher ground: not only can you recover but there is potential for growth and new directions. We even discover that burnout is not inevitable. – Dr Patrick Johnson, Medical Director, VDHP (Victorian Doctor’s Health program)Burnout-Free Working is the best book on the ever-increasing challenge of burnout I have ever read. Written by an expert who clearly understands real life, so easy to read and impactful. This is an indispensable guide for thriving in demanding professions and offers powerful, practical tools to tackle it head-on and reclaim balance. – Dr Helen Garr, GP and Medical Director NHS Practitioner HealthWorking in organizations where values are misaligned with compassion and human connection saps one’s spirit and sense of calling. This book provides an excellent review of supportive approaches while addressing the need for systemic change. – Beth A. Lown, MD, FACH, Chief Medical Officer of the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical SchoolThis should be essential reading for every first-year student-or better yet, handed out before they finish school! The advice is clear, practical, and empowering. It’s a much-needed reminder that looking after ourselves isn’t selfish-it’s the opposite. It’s how we support each other, and build meaningful, fulfilling careers. – Dr Kathryn Hutt, Medical Director of Doctors’ Heath NSW

Richard Duggins is a specialist NHS Consultant Psychiatrist and Consultant Psychotherapist supporting people with their mental health and wellbeing at work. An international expert in the field, he is nicknamed ‘The Doctors’ Doctor’ because doctors go to him when they are struggling. He is Clinical Lead for a Health and Social Care Staff Wellbeing Hub, an NHS wellbeing service for all health and social care professionals. He lives in Northumberland, England.