Counselling needs and experience of junior hospital doctors

A sample of 106 senior house officers who had graduated from Nottingham University in 1987 was surveyed about their experience of and need for careers guidance, performance appraisal, and stress counselling. Of the 80 who replied, a quarter had received no careers guidance and a quarter no feedback about their work performance. Many reported having had difficulties in their post, but few had received help from senior staff or their consultant. The perceived needs for counselling were considerable. Careers counselling was thought to be essential in the preregistration year by all of the doctors and in senior house officer posts by three quarters. Nearly all would have chosen regular appraisal and nearly half wanted counselling for particular difficulties. Doctors in the training grades clearly believed that they needed counselling, but in most cases they did not receive it.