Two in five GPs have a mental health problem

A new survey from mental health charity Mind has found that 40 per cent of GPs were experiencing a mental health problem, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Interviewing more than 1,000 GPs, Mind report that, despite the high prevalence of mental health problems among GPs, many didn’t feel able to turn to colleagues for support.

In fact, doctors said that they were much more likely to look for support with their mental health from friends and family (84 per cent), or their own doctor (77 per cent), rather than their colleagues (45 per cent) their practice manager (30 per cent) or professional bodies such as the General Medical Council (GMC) (one per cent).

Mind is encouraging the government and NHS to go further than setting up a confidential NHS support service for GPs to tackle the work-related causes of stress and poor mental health, such as excessive workload and long hours.

Vicki Nash, head of Policy and Campaigns at Mind, said: “These figures are really concerning. People with mental health problems – and especially those working within healthcare – can and do make a valuable contribution to the workplace, but it’s really important that they’re able to get any support they need. Our research shows a lot of primary care professionals don’t feel comfortable talking to peers and colleagues if they’re struggling with their mental health.

“Too much pressure and other demands cause stress, which can lead us to become unwell, both physically and mentally. Those working in a GP surgery are no exception where long working hours and excess workload are often the norm. Primary care staff do a stressful job day in, day out, but too often aren’t getting the support they need. When they feel well and supported, they can provide the best possible care for their patients. Working in healthcare doesn’t make it any easier to talk about your mental health at work. In fact, concerns over fitness to practice can make it harder. It needs to be ok for health care staff to talk about their mental health. Like anyone else, they need and should have support.”

Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: "GPs, indeed most healthcare professionals, are renowned for putting their patients' health before their own – and given the intense pressures currently facing general practice, this very high proportion of GPs living with mental health problems is deeply concerning, but not a total surprise.

"Workload in general practice has increased by at least 16 per cent over the last seven years, both in volume and complexity, but the share of the NHS budget our profession receives is less than it was a decade ago, and GP numbers are falling. The result is that highly-skilled and much-needed doctors are becoming disenchanted, exhausted, and burnt-out, with many being forced to take the drastic decision to leave the profession altogether.

"It's a terrible irony that GPs, the gatekeepers of the NHS who spend their lives caring for others, are often suffering in silence about their mental health and don't feel as though they're able to reach out and ask for help. More needs to be done to solve the root cause of the untenable workload and pressures that GPs are dealing with, and that means more resources, and more doctors and practice team members working in UK general practice."