Over eight in ten doctors experience high stress levels due to staff shortages and rising patient experiences, while over half report poor mental or physical health, and the same number say workplace pressures increase their risk of making mistakes at work.

Dr Udvitha Nandasoma, head of advisory services at the MDU said: ‘It's no surprise that many doctors tell us they are considering leaving the profession altogether, but we can't afford to lose skilled and dedicated professionals in this way. This should act as a wakeup call to Government and healthcare leaders to prioritise support for doctors, which will improve both retention of healthcare staff and patient safety.'

Extreme tiredness remains a concern for doctors, with more than one in three saying they are regularly sleep deprived and 10% reporting a ‘near miss', where tiredness played a part.  Struggling to switch off after the shift ends and not being able to take a break due to high patient demand were cited as the main causes of tiredness. 

Six in ten doctors say they aren't confident workplace pressures will improve over the next year, almost half have considered reducing working hours and one in five are actively looking to work abroad.

The MDU is calling for NHS employers to ensure staff catering and rest facilities are provided for staff, including for those working out of hours. They are also calling for an ongoing commitment to continue funding for programmes and services that support doctors and dentists at risk of burnout such as NHS Practitioner Health or Staff Treatment Hubs.