Averting burnout in the COVID-19 era: Self-care and wellbeing for healthcare professionals

Dr Susana Banerjee is a Consultant Medical Oncologist and Research Lead for the Gynaecology Unit. She is also Reader in Women’s Cancers at the Institute of Cancer Research. Dr Banerjee specialises in ovarian cancer and the systemic treatment of endometrial and cervical cancers. 

Dr Banerjee graduated with a first class degree from St John’s College, University of Cambridge, and completed her medical training at Royal Free Medical School where she was a University of London Gold Medal finalist. Dr Banerjee was awarded an Avon Breast Cancer Crusade Clinical Fellowship for laboratory research and gained a PhD from The Institute of Cancer Research, University of London. Dr Banerjee was awarded the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Novartis Oncology Basic Science Award for her research in 2007. Other prizes include the Association of Cancer Physicians McElwain Prize and the Sir Antony Driver Prize. She was also highly commended for the Pfizer British Oncology Association Young Investigator Award. She completed specialist training at The Royal Marsden in 2011. 

Dr Banerjee has been involved in several national and international specialist groups including the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Gynaecological Cancers Clinical Studies Group, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Executive Steering Committee for Gynaecological Cancers, ESGO (European Society of Gynaecological Oncology) Congress Faculty and International Gynecologic Cancer Society Scientific Program Committee. Dr Banerjee serves on the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Executive Board as Director of Membership and is also part of the Women for Oncology Committee. She chairs the ESMO Resilience Task Force. She was Track Chair for Gynaecological Cancers for the ESMO Congress 2018, Scientific Co-Chair for ESMO Asia 2018 and Co-Chair of the ESMO Gynaecological Cancers Congress 2021. 

Dr Banerjee is an author of over 140 peer-reviewed publications including in the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Lancet Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology and Annals of Oncology. 

Her research interests include individualisation of patient treatment, targeted therapies (including PARP inhibitors) and rare gynaecological cancers. Dr Banerjee has Global and UK Chief Investigator roles of multiple national and international clinical trials. She also serves on international and national clinical trial Steering and Safety Review Committees. Dr Banerjee is a member of the advisory board for the international journal Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology and editorial board of Cancer Treatment Reviews and ESMO Open. She has acted as a NICE clinical expert and is a medical advisor for the Ovacome UK Charity. 

Dr Claire Hardy is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. She specialises in the health, wellbeing and productivity of people at work and is passionate about transferring evidence into practice. 

After completing her undergraduate degree training in psychology at the University of York, she went on to obtain a masters degree in occupational psychology at the University of Nottingham. Here, she decided to continue her training in academic research and was awarded a full scholarship to pursue a doctoral degree at Nottingham University's Institute of Work, Health and Organisations. During this time, Claire also worked on several other academic research projects across different university institutions and teams, in addition to applied consultancy projects. After successfully completing her PhD in Applied Psychology, Claire has since gone on to work and lead a wide range of projects on employee health and wellbeing and was recently presented with the 'Excellence in Occupational Psychology' award by the British Psychological Society's Division of Occupational Psychology. 

Claire has published over 50 peer-reviewed publications and has editorial positions including Associate Editor for the International Journal of Workplace Health and Management. Claire is frequently asked to give talks to a wide range of national and international organisations and groups on topics related to workplace health and wellbeing. She currently sits on several national and international committees and working groups as an expert advisor, including the European Society for Medical Oncology's Resilience Task Force and the European Menopause and Andropause Society. Claire has recently collaborated with Dr Susanna Banerjee on a research project exploring the health, wellbeing, burnout and resilience of NHS oncology staff during COVID-19. 

Claire currently holds positions at Lancaster University as a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Medicine and is the Founder and Director of a workforce consultancy company, Hardy People Ltd.

Dr Sarah Partridge is currently a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust specialising in Head & Neck, and Thyroid cancers based at Charing Cross hospital, where she has principal investigator roles on a number of international trials, is an author of a number of peer-reviewed publications and plays an active role in the Local Negotiating Committee.

Awarded the Henry Myers Exhibition for psychological Medicine at medical school, her interests in Hypnotherapy were initiated during a Research Fellowship in Vancouver prior to starting her consultant post in 2002. This was consolidated by completing her Diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy with Distinction after which she founded a Hypnotherapy service at Charing Cross Hospital in 2007 with Dr Rumi Peynovska, supported by the Mind-Body Foundation. They later provided Self-Hypnosis training for patients within the Maggie’s Centre.

She continues to integrate hypnosis within her busy clinical practice, educating medical students and Specialist Trainees as to its potential with a focus on fostering ongoing research. She has designed and produced a web-based initiative ‘www.Tranceform-Medical.com’ aimed at expanding its use, education and availability for cancer patients, alongside self-care and stress management resources for healthcare professionals.

Over the course of her career, she has held roles in the London Deanery for Specialty Education, medical examiner, and London Cancer Alliance Medicines & Chemotherapy Steering Group committees, as well as a College Tutor for the Royal College of Radiologists. She has taught within the Imperial Medical School curriculum focussed on topics related to Oncology and Ethics and initiated ongoing discussions aimed at integrating Hypnosis training into the Medical Curriculum. As President-Elect for the Royal Society of Medicine Section for Hypnosis & Psychosomatic Medicine she remains dedicated to forging cross-specialty links to highlight the fascinating history, evidence-based and applications of adjuvant clinical hypnosis within a broad scope of medicine, given its adaptability, safety, and potential cost effectiveness.