College reacts to GMC workplace experiences report (2024)

College reacts to GMC workplace experiences report (2024)

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (“the College”) has responded to the GMC’s latest workforce report, which confirms that workloads are high and professional satisfaction is low. A third of doctors are struggling and feel unable to cope. 41% report of doctors report having seen patient safety compromised.

The GMC's report reveals that an increasing number of doctors are reducing their working hours and declining extra shifts to prevent burnout and safeguard patient safety. This trend, while a necessary step for many doctors in the short term, poses potential risks to healthcare service capacity and patient care if left unaddressed.

Key highlights include: 

• More doctors reduced their hours from previous years, 19% in 2023 and 18% in 2022, compared with 8% in 2021. And 41% of doctors declined to take on additional work in 2023 with 42% in 2022, compared with 23% in 2021;

• Over the past year, 1/3 of doctors feel unable to cope with their workload, and almost a quarter (23%) took a leave of absence due to workplace stress in the previous year, slightly increasing from previous years, 2022 (22%) and 2021 (17%);

• Almost half (48%) of GPs are struggling and consistently have had worse experiences than other physician groups since the report began in 2019;

• Disabled doctors (44%) are more likely than non-disabled doctors (38%) to be dissatisfied in their work and consider early retirement (13% to 7%);

• The College supports the GMC's urgent call for more compassionate leadership and inclusive environments for healthcare professionals, which will lead to higher satisfaction and better patient safety.

Commenting on the report, Professor Andrew Elder, President of The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh said:

Healthcare is a people project. We cannot deliver high quality healthcare now if we have insufficient numbers of staff, if staff leave the profession, or leave the country to practice elsewhere.  And we will not deliver high quality healthcare in the future if we cannot train the staff of the future. All aspects of care, service delivery and education and training in the NHS are now at stake. 

This is the first SOMEP report released since the new UK Government took office – we urge them to act upon these findings. Compassionate leadership will help, but alone will not be enough. Strong, prompt and tangible commitment from government to increase the numbers of doctors in the UK and to support their training in the NHS is needed. We have relied on the altruism of doctors for too long.