Enventure Research has recently launched an online survey on behalf of the AAGBI to understand anaesthetists’ experience of colleagues’ suicide following the rise of anecdotal reports of suicides amongst anaesthetists.
A Working Party was established by the AAGBI to produce guidance for departments and staff in the event of an anaesthetist’s suicide and possible preventative measures. The findings from this research will help to inform the guidance and provide a better understanding of anaesthetists’ experiences and the current level of resources and guidance.
The questionnaire was designed in partnership between Enventure Research and the AAGBI, and aims to establish the current levels of resources and guidance available to anaesthetists in terms of mental health, suicide and addiction. Anaesthetists will also be asked to share any personal experience of the death by suicide of an anaesthetic or intensivist colleague whilst working in the same department as them.
The online survey will run until the end of October and invites all anaesthetists in the UK and Ireland to complete it, rather than just those who are members of the AAGBI. Following the survey being closed, Enventure Research will analyse the data and write a fully comprehensive and detailed report.