The Malta College of Family Doctors (MCFD) and the Association of Private Family Doctors (APFD), on the occasion of World Family Doctor’s Day, said that they look forward for “further steps that strengthen our mental health services to improve people’s health.”

The voluntary organisations noted that this is in line with the message of the World Organisation of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians (WONCA),

World Family Doctor Day, celebrated annually on the 19th of May, is a key event in the calendar of family doctors. It is dedicated to highlighting the vital contributions of family doctors in healthcare systems worldwide.

The two VOs said that this year the focus is on emphasising the pivotal role of family medicine in supporting mental health and resilience. Mental health is taking an ever-increasing impact on our society, as society and communities are changing, and changing fast.

“Over the past decades our country has invested in capital and human resources to improve in the relevant mental health issues, but the extent of the issue means that more and more needs to be done,” the VOs said. “In particular, our healthcare structure regularly invests heavily in diagnosing and treating illnesses and diseases once they happen, and relatively underinvests in health promotion and disease prevention.”

The two Voluntary Organisations encouraged more investment in primary care, including health promotion and disease prevention, as it builds mental resilience. “Family doctors are uniquely positioned to nurture mental wellness through continuous, person-centred care, early intervention and holistic support, helping patients manage life’s stressors effectively, and decreasing the occurrence of mental illness and diseases,” they said.

They pointed out that family doctors are often the first to see signs of mental health struggles like anxiety, depression, and stress. “Their continuous, long-term relationships with patients allow them to identify and address mental health challenges proactively, improving patients’ resilience and overall well-being.”

The MCFD and the APFD also encouraged sustained investment in family medicine, “such that family doctors continue to be trained appropriately to present day and upcoming challenges, and subsequently are given the necessary tools to perform the activities in which they have been trained.”

The MCFD and the APFD went on to point out that improving the resilience of a community means prioritising the mental health care of both patients and the service providers, as they exist in a loop. “A positive feedback loop is where both service providers (including doctors) and patients thrive.”

They said that work-life balance should be an aim of all institutions. Supporting investment in mentorship, accessible training, and peer networks ensures that service providers remain effective and compassionate caregivers.

Some suggestions from MCFD and the APFD include:

– implementing policies that ensure protected time away from clinical duties, not only for vacation leave, but also for continuous professional development and recovery after duties;

– Encouraging both public and private health institutions and employers to adopt health- positive workplace cultures;

– Integrating mental wellness metrics and staff satisfaction into national health system performance indicators;

– Supporting research and regular audits into clinician burnout, and use findings to inform staffing levels, workload distribution, and retention strategies;

– Encouraging peer-to-peer reflection groups like Balint groups, which are known to reduce professional isolation and burnout while enhancing professional growth.

The two voluntary organisations call for a reset of the perception of what mental wellness is about. “Mental wellness is not about achieving perfection, but of being resilient and adaptable.”

They concluded by saying that “mental wellness is not about unattainable ideals of mental health, but about empowering individuals and communities to navigate life’s challenges constructively. Primary care can promote realistic strategies for coping with life’s inevitable ups and downs if given the necessary resources to educate, understand and support the community.”

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