Overworked doctors ‘fear for own health’
Four in five putting in too many hours
‘Under enormous pressure’
‘Poor handling of Scotland’s NHS’
SCOTLAND’S doctors are buckling under ‘unnecessary levels of pressure’ created by spiralling workloads, a survey shows.
Most say they have worked when sick themselves – and they believe their job has a negative effect on their health and well-being.
A majority of doctors work excessive hours and say their workload has increased, the survey of 600 doctors found. It was carried out in the first two weeks of December by the British Medical Association (BMA).
Its Scotland chairman, Lewis Morrison, said the findings ‘leave no doubt better support is urgently needed as current conditions are not sustainable’.
There are growing concerns about the health of frontline NHS staff. Patient numbers are rising as the population ages and there are 475 consultant vacancies across the NHS.
According to the survey, 71 per cent of doctors have worked when they felt too ill to do so in the past year.
Some 77 per cent said their work has had a negative impact on their health and well-being, while 83 per cent said workload pressure has increased. Eighty per cent ‘often or always’ work beyond their daily hours.
The BMA also found that 45 per cent of doctors ‘rarely or never’ get sufficient breaks – and 23 per cent have sought help for their mental well-being or health within the past two years.
Dr Morrison said: ‘The medical profession in Scotland is working under enormous pressure all year round, but this is a particularly tough time of year for doctors and many don’t get a festive break and time to regroup with friends and family.
‘The survey can leave absolutely no doubt that much better support for doctors is urgently needed. NHS Scotland needs to be a better place to work and not one which has the potential to harm its staff.’
He added: ‘Caring for those who care for the people of Scotland must now be a priority.
‘Until fundamental changes are made, better support for staff is an urgent need. Doctors’ work will always be potentially stressful but current conditions simply aren’t sustainable.
‘We need a properly resourced system – and that means people, not just money. The message from doctors is clear – that which is broken must be fixed.’
Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘This survey is a stark reminder of the extreme pressure our health professionals are having to work under. This is entirely the consequence of the SNP’s poor handling of our NHS.
‘Their shambolic approach to workforce planning has led to unprecedented vacancies and means the remaining staff are having to pick up the slack.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The welfare of our hard-working doctors is paramount. We are committed to improving their working lives by taking action on issues that are important to them, like pay, terms and conditions.
‘We work closely with BMA Scotland to identify and implement changes all doctors want.’