Frustration with training and lack of progress is leading to burnout among many UK doctors, according to the General Medical Council (GMC).
The regulator’s report on doctors’ experience in the workplace showed that there was a clear link between doctors feeling in control of their careers and their satisfaction with work.
Doctors who are also trainers reported some of the highest levels of burnout in the profession. One in 10 had stopped or reduced time spent as a trainer due to workload pressure, while 39% had refused to take on additional work and 20% had reduced contracted hours.
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Specialists who were trainers had consistently poorer experiences than those who were not, the GMC found.
They were more likely to be struggling with their workload (26% of specialist trainers, compared with 21% of specialist non-trainers), and were more likely to have difficulty providing sufficient patient care at least once a week (38% compared with 30%).
More than two-thirds (68%) of GPs who are also trainers had difficulty providing sufficient patient care at least once a week, compared to 58% of non-training GPs.
Among doctors who did not feel they could progress their career, only 33% were satisfied with their job, compared to 81% of those who felt they could progress.
GMC chief executive Charlie Massey said issues with the current training system played a key role in the profession’s retention crisis.
“Like any profession, doctors who are disillusioned with their careers will start looking elsewhere. Doctors need to be satisfied, supported, and see a hopeful future for themselves, or we may risk losing their talent and expertise altogether,” he said.
Overall, the risk of burnout among doctors reduced in 2024 to 18% being at high risk, compared with 25% in 2022. However, 23% took leave of absence due to stress in 2024, almost double the proportion in 2019.
Doctors were less likely to feel they could progress their careers if they had negative experiences, and 72% said inadequate staffing was a barrier to them providing sufficient patient care.
The GMC is calling for the training system to be modernised to better meet the needs of doctors and patients.
“This is something that requires a concerted effort from the whole healthcare system to drive real change,” Massey added.
“Improving the experiences of doctors and their environments correlates with enhanced patient care. It is encouraging to see marginal improvements in wellbeing, but this progress must be nurtured.
“The health system needs to capitalise on this momentum to drive continued improvements, and our unique data and insights can support workforce planners in achieving this. We are ready to play our part to help shape a future unlocking the potential of doctors, to the benefit of patients.”
According to the GMC’s research, GPs’ experiences were generally worse than those of other doctor groups – 44% struggled with workload, compared with 29% of all doctors.
Doctors in training were also more likely to be at high risk of burnout – 23% compared with 18% of all doctors, and were less likely to say they had sufficient access to development and learning opportunities.
Levels of satisfaction and stress were also lower in under-represented groups, the GMC found.
Ethnic minority graduates had higher levels of workload problems than the overall doctor population (33% compared with 29%), while disabled doctors who needed reasonable adjustments at work reported poorer experiences, and were less likely to say they felt part of a supportive team.
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