

Compassion Matters
Whether directly or indirectly, the culture of an organisation has an impact on those who work there, and ultimately on patient outcome.

Lt Col Ben Caesar
RAMC, MB, BS, MD, FRCS Ed T&O, FRCS Eng, MSSEM (UK), MIOL
Lt Col Ben Caesar
MD, FRCS Ed (Tr and Orth), FRCS Eng, MFSEM (UK), MIoL, MFMLM
Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon, Lt Col Ben Caesar RAMC, specialises in treating trauma and sports injuries. He graduated from Imperial College School of Medicine in 1998 and trained in London, Edinburgh on the SE Scotland Basic Surgical Training Programme and in the West Midlands on the renowned Oswestry Higher Surgical Training Programme before undertaking fellowships in trauma surgery in Kenya, shoulder and elbow surgery in Derby, and knee surgery with Mr Andy Williams and Mr Jonathon Lavelle in London. He has worked as a consultant at St. Mary’s, Paddington and Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals before being posted to the Major Trauma Centre in Brighton where he has worked for the past 7 years.
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His time in Edinburgh included a year as the Scottish Orthopaedic Research Trust into Trauma (SORT-iT) Fellow and he was awarded his Doctorate of Medicine (MD) for his thesis on Fracture Epidemiology and Social Deprivation. Ben has worked as a pitch side doctor for the Scottish Rugby Union at various levels for a decade and continues to look after the needs of both amateur and professional sports people in his practice.
He has deployed as an Army surgeon and worked in several conflict zones around the world in field hospitals of varying size and capabilities. He has founded a Service Personnel and Veterans Service for musculoskeletal conditions (The Chavasse Clinic) and has been awarded a Service Champions Award for his work in this area. He is a member of the BOA, BOSTAA, BESS and CSOS. He is a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Edinburgh and England. He is a Member of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine.

Our 'Why'
"After twenty-five years in the medical profession, I’ve seen too many friends and colleagues become disillusioned, cynical, exhausted and more tragically, on occasions, so defeated that they have died by suicide. Even before the pandemic the worsening state of the culture within healthcare, became apparent to me as I undertook my research into physician burnout. Whilst many researchers focused on individuals, and increasing their resilience, my data suggested that it was an organisational problem. ​ All the above has created a situation where healthcare professionals feel undervalued, unheard, and despite their best efforts, unable to deliver the quality of care to their patients that we would all wish for." -- Ben Caesar
INVESTING IN BURNOUT MAKES FINANCIAL SENSE
Return on investment in physician wellbeing: 4:1. (Shanafelt, 2017)
The Statistics
Suicide Risk
Doctors are three to four times more likely to die by suicide compared to the general population.
Economic Cost
In 2019, the annual cost associated with burnout was approximately $7600 per physician each year.
Mental Health
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In 2022, according to a survey conducted by the British Medical Association, nearly two-thirds of doctors have anxiety or depression.
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Sixty-two percent of doctors experience anxiety, depression, stress, burnout and emotional distress.
Health Problems
Alcohol/drug use, binge eating, sleep disturbance and ill health are all increased in doctors with burnout.
Medical Errors
In a large national study, physician burnout, fatigue, and work unit safety grades were independently associated with major medical errors.
Fatigue
In 2017, fifty-seven percent of anaesthetists had experienced an accident or near-miss when traveling home from night shifts.
Within organisations, resilience doesn't lie in individuals, it lies between individuals. So the more we can do to support the bonds between individuals, the better peoples' mental health will be...
-Professor Neil Greenberg, Professor of Defence Mental Health

Our Vision
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Increase self-compassion on an individual basis as well as for the overall team
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Utlise the ‘ripple effect’ to promote and develop a more compassionate culture
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Decrease healthcare provider distress, burnout and even suicideImprove patient care, patient outcomes and the overall patient experience
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To improve patient care, outcomes and experience by having a more compassionate culture