One third of UK doctors may suffer from workplace ’burnout’

One in three UK doctors working in obstetrics and gynaecology may suffer from workplace burnout. This could affect their well-being and how they treat patients. This is the finding of new research, published in the journal BMJ Open , led by scientists at Imperial College London. These results point to an environment in UK hospitals that makes staff unwell and less able to carry out their jobs safely Professor Tom Bourne Study author Burnout is a condition triggered by long-term stress and overload at work, and in particular is associated with emotional exhaustion, lack of empathy and connection with others, and feeling a lack of personal accomplishment. Although burnout can affect individuals in any career, it particularly affects those in those in high-stress jobs - with previous studies suggesting that doctors are twice as likely to suffer burnout compared to those in other professions. The study, a collaboration between Imperial College London, KU Leuven in Belgium and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists , also revealed that 43 per cent of trainee doctors met the criteria for burnout. Mental health concerns.