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.

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Rebecca Smith, director of staff experience and social partnerships at NHS Employers, said: ‘These survey findings are concerning as we know there is a direct link between staff experience and patient care.

‘Employers are working hard to improve the working lives of resident doctors with NHS England monitoring progress made under the resident doctor 10 Point Plan Programme.

 

‘In line with the Government's 10-Year Health plan, new staff standards are being developed to improve staff experience and reduce variation which are due to be published soon. The framework should play a crucial role in making this happen by setting consistent, mandatory expectations, ensuring that all NHS staff (including doctors) benefit from the same working conditions wherever they work.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘This Government inherited a broken NHS, with burnt-out and demoralised staff, but we are working at pace to turn the tide.

‘We've already delivered above-inflation pay rises to health and care staff, and our 10-Year Workforce Plan will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places.

‘We expect NHS organisations to ensure staff have the conditions they need to thrive, including well-being support, and our introduction of robust standards will improve staff experience and retention by tackling the issues that really matter to them.'