'Soon we won't have any doctors left': Survey reveals extent of doctors' mental health issues
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Doctors are fire-fighting in overcrowded services and facing unrealistic expectations from managers, patients and their own families, the Medical Protection Society (MPS) has warned.
One doctor predicted: “Soon we won't have any doctors left."
The MPS found almost two-thirds of doctors in Ireland are “frequently burnt out and exhausted” with 20% saying their mental health is a worry.
Just over half (53%) said they feel disillusioned or disengaged at work. A similar number, 57%, said they are not encouraged to discuss their mental health at work.
Some 60% of doctors surveyed said mental health services for them are not properly funded through Government supports. Some doctors added comments to their responses, including around fear of being taken to court.
“Chronic under-resourcing of team, constant fear of being blamed along with unrealistic patient, family, other service expectations has resulted in me feeling high levels of stress and frustration on daily basis. Feel like I’m shouting into a vacuum,” one said.
Another said: “More and more doctors are becoming burnt out from constantly working in a fire-fighting mode. You can get better quality of life and pay in other industries. Soon we won't have any doctors left.”
One responded that people, “even family members”, cannot understand their challenges.
They said:
The survey of 548 doctors in October was carried out by the MPS which represents over 16,000 healthcare professions in Ireland.
Professor Gozie Offiah, MPS council member, said: “A significant and concerning number of healthcare professionals are burnt out, disillusioned and their mental wellbeing is deteriorating.
“We see first-hand how poor mental wellbeing affects doctors personally, and how it can impact on patient care. Without early support, mental wellbeing issues can also result in doctors needing extended time off work or leaving the healthcare profession altogether.”
She urged the incoming Government to work with the HSE and private health providers to create and fund supportive environments for doctors.
“This would help to tackle issues early on, avert crises down the line, and ultimately enable healthcare professionals to continue to care for patients safely,” she added.