Work

‘I just felt either I’m going to kill someone or I’m going to end up killing myself’. How does it feel to be burnt out as a practicing UK GP?

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To explore how it feels to be a burnt out GP in the NHS. DESIGN: In depth qualitative interviews with 16 UK GPs with self-declared 'lived experience' of burnout. SETTING: United Kingdom Primary Care. RESULTS: Seven male and nine female GPs described their experiences of burnout to a peer researcher. Themes identified were exhaustion and depersonalisation, mental and physical illness, identity and existential crises, and finally tenacity and resilience. Participants were self-reflective and described distress, shame, stigma, and guilt, including times of suicidal behaviour and isolation due to their burnout. CONCLUSIONS: Burnout threatens a GP's sense of identity, purpose, and functioning in their lives, and ultimately can be life-threatening. Active listening to GP distress and a system wide approach to managing distress and burnout is urgently required.

Source: European Journal of General Practice

DOI: 10.1080/13814788.2024.2426981

Authors: Ishbel Orla Whitehead, Suzanne Moffatt, Barbara Hanratty

Institutions: Newcastle University, University of Newcastle Australia

Language: English

Topic: Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,563