title: Systematic review protocol of interventions to improve the psychological well-being of general practitioners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The challenges and complexities faced by general practitioners are increasing, and there are concerns about their well-being. Consequently, attention has been directed towards developing and evaluating interventions and strategies to improve general practitioner well-being and their capacity to cope with workplace challenges.
  
  
  METHODS
  This systematic review aims to evaluate research evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve general practitioner well-being. Eligible studies will include programmes developed to improve psychological well-being that have assessed outcomes using validated tools pertaining to well-being and related outcomes. Only programmes that have been evaluated using controlled study designs will be reviewed. An appropriately developed search strategy will be applied to six electronic databases: the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Studies will be screened in two stages by two independent reviewers. A third reviewer will arbitrate when required. Pre-specified inclusion and exclusion criteria will be assessed during a pilot phase early on in the review process. The Cochrane data extraction form will be adapted and applied to each eligible study by two independent reviewers, and each study will be appraised critically using standardised checklists from the Cochrane Handbook. Methodological quality will be taken into account in the analysis of the data and the synthesis of results. A narrative synthesis will be undertaken if data is unsuited to a meta-analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The systematic review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidance. This will be the first systematic review on this topic, and the evidence synthesis will aid decision-making by general practitioners, policy makers and planners regarding ways in which to improve GP well-being. Findings will be disseminated at general practitioner meetings, conferences and in professional and peer-reviewed journals.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  PROSPERO CRD42015017899.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast (QUB), Institute of Clinical Sciences, Royal Victoria Hospital, Block B, Belfast, BT 12 6BA, UK. mmurray881@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Marylou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, UK. loismurray1@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Lois
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Public Health and UKCRC Centre of Excellence for Public Health Northern Ireland, Queen's University Belfast (QUB), Institute of Clinical Sciences, Royal Victoria Hospital, Block B, Belfast, BT 12 6BA, UK. michael.donnelly@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donnelly
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D016272:Occupational Health; D012107:Research Design; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology