Third of NHS doctors struggling as GMC warns health services in critical state

NHS doctors are “at breaking point”, with almost a fifth cutting their hours and two in five refusing to take on extra work to avoid becoming burnt out, new research has found.

A third of medics are “struggling” and unable to cope with heavy workloads that force them to regularly work extra hours to keep up with the demands for care, the General Medical Council (GMC) said.

Its findings paint a grim picture of the working lives, morale and wellbeing of doctors in the UK.

The GMC, which regulates the medical profession, warned that exhausted, overworked doctors could pose a threat to patients’ safety. “UK health services are in a critical state and those who work within them are at breaking point,” said Charlie Massey, the GMC’s chief executive.

Prof Dame Carrie MacEwen, its chair, also described doctors’ experiences in the annual report.

“Seeking to protect their wellbeing, doctors are taking matters into their own hands. Many are reducing their hours and declining additional work,” she said. “A concerning proportion are taking time off due to stress.”

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Source: The Guardian, 8 August 2024