Are you a doctor in distress or becoming distressed?

Well all the profession is in distress you might say

The Challenges of Being a Doctor or GP right now are huge.

The increasing patient demand, paperwork, changing guidelines, and long waiting times at hospitals.

The waiting list for hospital treatment rose to a record of 7.2 million in January 2023. (NHS Key Statistics: England, March 2023 – House of Commons Library (parliament.uk))

The are fewer GPs providing care for more patients compared to five years ago, and this is the primary reason why appointments are scarce – it’s not for want of trying.

Yet GPs are facing the brunt of abuse. A BMA survey of more than 2,400 doctors in England, Wales and Northern Ireland carried out in July 2021 found that 46% of GPs had experienced one to five incidents of verbal abuse, while roughly one-in-five (19%) had received threats, in the previous month.

Within the same survey, 67% of GPs said that they had witnessed violence or abuse directed at other staff in their workplace in the past year, while 37% said that the instances of threatening behaviour, violence or verbal abuse they experienced had increased significantly on the same period 12 months ago.

This all contributes to burnout.

Burnout can have a serious impact on the mental health and well-being of doctors and GPs.

It can lead to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and exhaustion, and can increase the risk of substance abuse, alcoholism, suicidal ideation, and other mental health problems.

Burnout can also affect the quality of patient care, leading to medical errors, reduced empathy, and decreased job satisfaction. This can create a vicious cycle where burnout leads to poorer patient care, which in turn leads to further burnout.

It’s important for doctors and GPs to recognize the signs of burnout and seek help before it becomes too overwhelming.

Burnout can be insidious and creep up on you if you are not careful.

What could you do if you think you have burnout?

Do you know where to go for help?

Talk to someone who knows what you face every day,

Someone who is working with you in the same profession

Someone with skills to support and help you at this time

Coaching can be a valuable tool in preventing and overcoming burnout, by providing support, guidance, and strategies to manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance

Come and book a call with me The Professionals Coach and let’s get the support you need