Junior doctors in the UK face a greater risk of burnout now than during the height of the pandemic.
This percentage surpasses the 43% and 56% reported during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, though it's slightly lower than last year’s peak.
Mike Greenhalgh, deputy co-chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) junior doctors committee, expressed that these burnout figures are both alarming and expected, given the current conditions.
He also noted a growing trend of doctors pausing their training or leaving the NHS for careers abroad.
The GMC survey, the largest of its kind in the UK, gathered insights from 74,000 doctors regarding their work environments, training quality, and overall wellbeing.
A striking 32% of emergency medicine trainees reported a high risk of burnout, the highest among all specialisations.
The survey’s findings underscore the severe workplace pressures faced by trainee doctors, particularly in emergency medicine.
These pressures have become the norm, raising significant concerns.
Michael West, professor of work and organisational psychology at Lancaster University, said that the job of a junior doctor is among the worst designed for someone starting their career.
He pointed to factors such as lack of autonomy, poor working conditions and a culture of blame that have created a ‘toxic cocktail’ for junior doctors, making it challenging to provide effective and humane patient care.
Each year, over 9,000 junior doctors begin working in hospitals across the UK, with many taking time off during or after their initial two years due to stress and overwork.
The GMC says many doctors are ‘struggling,’ which presents risks to patients and the workforce.
Charlie Massey, Chief Executive of the GMC, said: ‘We know that when doctors are overworked and under-supported, there is a risk not only to doctors but also to patient care. These data show that more doctors are now taking matters into their own hands, not just to protect their health and wellbeing, but that of their patients as well.
‘For many, this will often be the only responsible course to deliver safe care. But this action comes with risks. We must be clear that doctors protecting their wellbeing is essential, but they shouldn’t feel their only option is to reduce their working hours. This presents challenges in capacity planning, adding further pressure to services that are already stretched.’
