Medscape UK Survey: Burnout Hits Doctors Amid NHS Pressures

Medscape

5 days ago

A Medscape UK survey of more than 900 doctors in the United Kingdom has revealed significant levels of burnout and poor mental health despite many being content with life outside work.
The Medscape UK Wellness and Life Outside of Work Report 2025 found that 67% of doctors were very or somewhat happy with their work-life balance. However, 20% said they were very or somewhat unhappy. While 56% felt happy with their professional life, 28% were very or somewhat unhappy.
Challenging the Stigma of Seeking Help
More than one in 10 (13%) rated their current mental health as poor or very poor. Susannah Basile, interim CEO of Doctors in Distress, called this 'deeply concerning' but not unexpected. 'With a doctor in the UK dying by suicide every 3 weeks, the stigma around seeking help must be challenged,' she told Medscape News UK .
The charity is committed to creating 'safe, supportive spaces where healthcare workers can process the emotional toll of their work before it reaches crisis point', Basile said. Doctors in need of a supportive community are invited to join the Doctors in Distress support group, which runs on three days per week and is free of charge and confidential.
Dr David Nicholl, committee member for the Doctors' Association UK (DAUK), described the survey as 'a valuable contribution to understanding the pressures and solutions to the wellbeing of doctors'. He noted concern over the one in 10 doctors who reported significant mental health issues.
Burnout affected more than a quarter of respondents (27%), with 5% saying they felt depressed, and a further 14% reporting both depression and burnout.
With a third of respondents working part-time, it would be important to understand whether there are differences between those working part-time and those working full-time, Nicholl suggested.
Work was cited as the sole or primary cause of burnout by more than 3 in 4 respondents, while only 10% blamed personal life factors. However, two-thirds (67%) felt poor mental health strained their personal relationships. Almost half (48%) would accept a pay cut in exchange for a better work-life balance.
NHS Workloads Create Immense Pressure
Dr Ananta Dave, from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said NHS staff face ever-increasing workloads, time constraints, and administrative burdens. 'These challenges have only intensified in recent years, in many cases requiring staff to seek support for their own mental health,' she told Medscape News UK .
Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), acknowledged that the survey showed most doctors are happy professionally but called the proportion who are unhappy 'disheartening'.
'Far too many GPs are reporting stress and burnout as the numbers of patients who need our care continue to increase, while workforce numbers fail to keep up,' she told Medscape News UK .
Hawthorne noted that the General Medical Council has reported that GPs are the doctors least likely to be satisfied with their job and most likely to struggle with their workload. To prevent burnout, 'it's important that all medical professionals can still have an appropriate work/life balance during periods of intense pressure'.
Stress and Burnout Undermine Recruitment and Retention
Recent RCGP polling found that over 40% of GPs doubt they will still be working in general practice in 5 years, with many citing stress and burnout as reasons why they would quit.
Hawthorne urged the government to devote more funding, alongside investment in recruitment and retention initiatives, to address the crisis. She sees the upcoming review of the NHS long-term workforce plan as an opportunity to 'turn things around'.
Dave said that poor staff wellbeing is 'a major and persistent issue' that undermines NHS capacity. She emphasised that anxiety, stress, depression, and other psychiatric conditions accounted for 26.4% of all NHS England workforce sickness absences in 2024.