‘Worrying’ levels of workplace stress among GPs and their primary care colleagues

Recent research by mental health charity Mind has revealed that almost nine in ten (88%) of primary care workers find their work life stressful, compared to 56% of the wider UK workforce.

The poll of over 1,000 NHS staff working in primary care, including GPs, practice nurses, practice managers and their colleagues, also showed that work is currently the most stressful area of their lives, ahead of their finances, health, family life and relationships.

Mind’s research shines a worrying light on the psychological impact of workplace stress on primary care workers, with one in five (21%) saying it has led them to develop a mental health problem, and one in six (17%) going as far as taking medication. Almost one in ten (8%) say that workplace stress has led to suicidal thoughts.

The results of the poll also indicate how workplace stress may affect service provision: two in five (43%) of the responders say that workplace stress has led to them resigning or considering resigning from their jobs, and one in six (17%) has called in sick to avoid going to work.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, British Medical Association GP committee chair, commented on the findings: “This poll reinforces the BMA findings that GPs and their staff are under unsustainable pressure because they are having to work long, intense hours on dwindling resources against a backdrop of rocketing patient demand.

“As this Mind survey demonstrates, the inevitable side effect is rising levels of burnout and stress. Many GPs are considering cutting their working hours and one in three told a recent BMA survey they were considering retiring in the next five years. This is not only distressing for the individuals involved, but will seriously limit the capacity of the NHS to deliver quality care to patients.”

As well as the impact on mental health, the poll also found that stress had a significant impact on workers’ physical health, with eight in ten (83%) saying it affects their ability to sleep and over half (54%) saying it impacts directly on their physical health.

Primary care workers are also resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms for dealing with the stress of work, with two in five (42%) drinking alcohol at least once a week to cope with workplace pressure and, despite the known harm it causes, almost one in ten (8%) smoking every day to cope with the pressure.

One of the biggest problems facing primary care staff appears to be a fear of disclosing their stress levels in the workplace. This is perhaps unsurprising when one in three (31%) feel that disclosing that they are overly stressed would lead to them being perceived as less capable than other colleagues. Two in five (22%) also felt that disclosing would count against them when they were considered for promotion.

Commenting on the findings, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, British Medical Association GP committee chair, said: “This poll reinforces the BMA findings that GPs and their staff are under unsustainable pressure because they are having to work long, intense hours on dwindling resources against a backdrop of rocketing patient demand. As this Mind survey demonstrates, the inevitable side effect is rising levels of burnout and stress. Many GPs are considering cutting their working hours and one in three told a recent BMA survey they were considering retiring in the next five years. This is not only distressing for the individuals involved, but will seriously limit the capacity of the NHS to deliver quality care to patients.

“The government has recently announced, following BMA lobbying, a new service for GPs suffering from stress and burnout, but we need to ensure all parts of the primary care workforce have access to appropriate support. We also need to address the root cause of the problems facing general practice by delivering a properly funded, fully staffed service that can meet the public’s needs, and ensure that GPs are able to work within safe and manageable limits.”

Dr Maureen Baker, Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: “The current state of general practice is pushing GPs to their limit, and these results show it is having a serious impact on their physical and mental health. It goes without saying that a service that relies on sick and fatigued GPs is not good for patient safety.

“NHS England’s GP Forward View is a lifeline for general practice, and the pledges - including £16m to support GPs suffering from burnout and stress - will go a long way to alleviating the current pressures facing GPs, and in turn improve patient care."