A descriptive study of mental health and wellbeing of doctors and medical students in the UK.

Doctors and medical students are working in a system which is affecting their mental wellbeing and their ability to provide the best possible care for patients. The British Medical Association conducted an online survey of doctors and medical students in October 2018. In total, 4347 responses were received and analysed. Doctors working the longest hours appear to be most vulnerable to psychological and emotional disturbance. Older and more senior doctors are most likely to report that their working environment has impacted on their condition. Medical students and junior doctors report the highest rate of having a formally diagnosed mental health condition in the last 12 months. This may be because they are in the vulnerable age group when psychiatric disorders start. Junior doctors were least likely to be aware of how to access help or support. Older doctors, those working as SAS (Staff, Associate Specialists and Specialty) doctors and overseas qualified doctors are most likely to say they have asked for support in managing a problem from their employer but that no support was provided. It is important to recognize that doctors, in spite of stress and poor wellbeing, continue to work hard, which has both advantages and disadvantages. These findings highlight that the environment in which doctors work, train, and study affects their mental health, and for this reason careful consideration needs to be given to the type and level of support provision available to them, as well as the ease of access and awareness of such support.

Doctors' health and wellbeing: at the heart of the NHS's mission or still a secondary consideration?

It is well-recognized that staff health and wellbeing has a considerable influence on performance and productivity in any organization. The NHS is no different. Dr Steven Boorman's NHS health and well-being review made a powerful case for change in how staff health and wellbeing was understood, how it should be operationalized in the NHS, and how senior management must lead in developing new cultures that have health and wellbeing at their core. In particular, Dr Boorman demonstrated how staff health and wellbeing impacts on patient care. Ten years later, NHS staff remain more likely to incur a work-related illness or injury than staff in other sectors and NHS staff sickness absence is double the national average. In addition, doctors, particularly younger doctors, frequently feel the need to attend work despite ill health, and are taking breaks in training to avoid burnout. The views of doctors on the availability and access to occupational health services, as well as the support of their employer for their health and wellbeing, can provide a timely insight into the effectiveness of measures since the Boorman review to bring doctors' health and wellbeing to a central place in today's NHS. There have also been a series of initiatives announced in the nations of the UK to provide occupational health services to doctors in recent years. The effectiveness and implementation of these initiatives are important in understanding what progress has been made in supporting doctors' health and wellbeing. In order to gain such insights, we asked a series of questions to a panel of doctors through the regular online BMA Quarterly Survey. The survey results demonstrate that access to support for their health and wellbeing is inconsistent and sometimes non-existent. This article discusses these results and provides recommendations for the future.