NHS Doctors "one in four" suffering from a mental health problem

MAccording to a poll, nearly a quarter of NHS doctors suffer from mental disorders, many doctors refusing to seek help, fearing that this will spoil their careers.

The British Medical Association (BMA) now warns of a mental health "crisis" among workers, 27% of whom have been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder.

The union says that long working hours and heavy workloads, fueled by missing rotations and increasing patient demand, are pushing thousands of doctors to "burnout".

However, BMA executives also said that an old-fashioned work culture created doctors who feared to admit their vulnerability.

The survey of 4,300 practitioners revealed that four out of ten people currently suffer from psychological or emotional problems.

In the meantime, half of GPs said that they or someone in their office had asked for help for a disease that affected their way of working.

One in three admitted to having used alcohol, drugs or self-prescription to overcome shifts.

Professor Dinesh Bhugra, President of the BMA, said, "This report highlights the alarming mental health crisis currently affecting medical staff, as the link between the current pressures on physicians and poor mental health can no longer be ignored.

He added, "As people who care for others, doctors often feel particularly vulnerable or unable to seek help, for fear of being judged or denied. 39, have ramifications with a statement of poor mental health. prospective career. "

The survey was published alongside a study from Swansea University, based on interviews with doctors.

A doctor with mental health problems told researchers that she was so afraid of the consequences of her career that she paid for a private psychiatrist.

"I'm worried about the aptitude for practice," she said.

"I did not want long-term consequences. I did not want anyone to know what was going on. "

The BMA is calling for a shift from the current culture of the workplace to a supportive work environment, with better access to support services and an end to the stigma of doctors in need of help.

The survey found that the majority of physicians consulted – 80% – presented a high or high risk of burnout, with young doctors being at highest risk.

"A system that does not support and protect the health of its own workforce will only flounder. This call for action is also clear when there is one, "said Professor Bhugra.