Seven weeks into the job, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard says his department is taking the issue of young doctor suicides seriously. There's a real community and family and camaraderie, in some aspects, in the hospital and I don't think she processed that particularly well, I don't know if the support was there." "You work from before dawn to well after dusk at night with people. They were working together at Campbelltown, they were part of the same network," Dr Turner said. "I did say to Chloe in September 2015 that I was really worried that this job was going to cost her her life," her sister Jessica said.Ĭhloe's friend, Dr Zac Turner, recalled Chloe was also grappling with the death of a colleague, a young registrar who had taken her own life. Last year those closest to Chloe began to notice the determined young doctor was struggling. She wanted to make other people's lives better," her mother Leonie Eagles said. "It was just this calling that she had that she wanted to help others. One of those young doctors was Chloe Abbott, who had just landed a job at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital to do her physician training, with dreams of becoming an endocrinologist. Family could see young doctor was strugglingĬhloe Abbott (far right) with (from left) mother Leonie Eagles and sisters Micaela and Jessica Abbott. "They were going to save many lives and do great things, and that potential is lost," he said. Prof Frankum said in the past 12-18 months he was aware of three young doctors in training who had taken their lives, as well as two senior doctors and a young medical student. "Once that report happens, AHPRA can't ignore it of course and an investigation needs to take place." "If a doctor discloses to their treating that they have drug addiction problems or mental health problems, then it is mandatory for that treating doctor to report that to AHPRA ," he told 7.30. Professor Brad Frankum, president of the Australian Medical Association (NSW), said mandatory reporting could be "a very challenging and threatening experience for anybody". Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN) on 1800 008 774.Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467."But would I tell somebody now if I was that fourth year student in an era of mandatory reporting? I don't know." 'They were going to save many lives' If you or anyone you know needs help: I was crying driving to work, I felt very low self-esteem at the time and I went and saw this person and this person got me help," she said. "I was feeling very disenfranchised with doing medicine. She sought help after the suicide of a colleague, but wasn't sure she would do so today. Because that grey area could end up being misused against you," Dr Schultz said.Ī mature-aged student when she came to medicine, Dr Schultz struggled with her own mental health. to actually, tell nobody, keep it to yourself. "I get really caught between that R U OK Day and tell everyone and there's no stigma. Psychiatrist Dr Helen Schultz said practitioners were reluctant to come forward for fear of losing their medical licence. The suicides of three young doctors in New South Wales within just five months has led to calls for a review of mandatory reporting laws, which many health professionals believe are stopping doctors from asking for help.