Three quarters of junior doctors have become unwell due to work-related stress

More than three quarters (78%) of junior doctors in England felt unwell as a result of work-related stress in the past year, according to a survey by the British Medical Association (BMA).

An even larger number (81%) said their health and wellbeing has worsened since December 2021, when Covid-related pressures were pushing NHS staff and services to breaking point.

Despite so many falling ill, many continued to go to work, with seven in ten (71%) junior doctors coming to work despite not being well enough to perform their duties.

A lack of resting facilities and hot food

This sharp decline in health is thought to be partly due to a lack of staff, with seven in ten (73%) saying they ‘always or frequently’ work in understaffed rotas.

A lack of staff puts added pressure on those working, which not only puts patient safety at risk, but also the health of staff.

A lack of resting facilities and hot meals is also thought to have contributed, with more than a quarter of junior doctors (27%) saying they have nowhere to rest on shifts, while more than half (58%) do not have access to catering facilities with hot food.

One junior doctor anonymously told the BMA: “When you’re covering so many patients in a day, hungry and with no breaks, you simply can’t do a good job by them. The conditions we’re working in make it a daily battle to keep patients somewhat safe. I have come into work when ill because I know my trust is understaffed and I want to keep patients safe.

“Like so many of my colleagues, I do question whether it is worth staying in the NHS, as the current situation is totally unsustainable.”

Continual “devaluing” of junior doctor’s work will drive more away

The BMA says this continued decline in junior doctors’ wellbeing reflects longstanding concerns that hospital trusts in England are failing in their duty of care to junior doctors and are now urging the government to value NHS staff and restore junior doctor’s pay to ease pressure on the workforce.

Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, BMA junior doctors committee co-chairs, said: “This Government needs to stop pretending that the pressures we’re seeing this winter isn’t a crisis of their own making. Ministers have failed to step up and their failure to resource and staff the health service properly is not only threatening patient safety, but it is also putting junior doctors’ health at serious risk.

“No doctor deserves to work in horrendous conditions while not being valued or supported to do their job properly. Continual devaluing of their lifesaving work will drive more junior doctors away, and the vicious cycle of staffing shortages will continue. Until we restore our pay to restore our workforce, this will only get worse. The Government needs to get real and get to the table to discuss.”