A junior doctor who killed herself suffered from acute self-doubt and was anxious about remaining in the medical profession, an inquest has heard.

The family of Rose Polge, 25, paid tribute after the hearing to a conscientious and dedicated young doctor and raised concerns about the pressures on junior doctors.

The inquest in Torquay was told that, on the morning of the day she disappeared, Polge had asked her boyfriend of nearly five years, fellow doctor Alasdair Hawley, whether he would still love her if she left medicine.

Hawley said: “I know she was struggling at work with perceived self-doubts. But feedback was that she was progressing well and was actually very capable.”

The night before her disappearance, Polge talked about quitting medicine and was unable to sleep, walking on the beach instead, Hawley said.

Polge left work at Torbay hospital, Devon, mid-way through a shift in February after having dark thoughts, Hawley said. She agreed to visit a doctor and go to Cambridge to spend time with her parents.

The inquest heard that Hawley left work early after becoming concerned about Polge’s welfare but by the time he got home at 4pm she had vanished. He called the police after he found her web history showing that she had visited suicide sites. She left a note in her home and another in the glove box of her car, which was found near Anstey’s Cove in Devon.

Her body was discovered in Portland Bay in April. The coroner, Ian Arrow, recorded a verdict of suicide and paid tribute to a “very highly regarded” doctor.

Following the hearing, Polge’s aunt read a statement on behalf of the family, describing her as “a lively and lovely person who brought light into a room wherever she went.

“She was also a conscientious and dedicated young doctor, described by her colleagues as one of the best they had worked with.”



But the statement also raised concerns about the long hours and heavy workloads experienced by many doctors, adding: “Doctors can feel a dreadful sense of personal failure and inadequacy if they struggle to keep working. Sometimes, the despair can be sudden and overwhelming.”

The family highlighted concerns raised about junior doctors by a recent General Medical Council training survey, which warned of a “crisis in morale”, and added: “Our hope is something will be done about this crisis in the health service soon.”

In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.