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?

Conference:

SAPC ASM 2024 - Bristol

Talk Code:

6B.6

Presenter:

Orla Whitehead

Twitter:

@orlawhitehead

Co-authors:

Professor Barbara Hanratty, Dr Suzanne Moffatt

Author institutions:

Newcastle University

Problem

Burnout in UK General Practitioners (GPs) is at crisis levels. A recent survey reported one in five were at highest risk for burnout, and over half were emotionally exhausted. These figures are repeated across the world. Burnout leads to retirement and resignation7 which adds to the workforce crisis, as well as patient safety concerns. While there are studies that quantify the issue of burnout, some exploring underlying factors, and many commentaries, there is a dearth of qualitative research that allows people with lived experience of burnout to share their stories.

Approach

Six male and nine female GPs, with personal, lived experience of burnout were interviewed via Zoom, by a GP peer researcher, between September 2021 and February 2022. A thematic analysis was undertaken of these frank interviews, using NVivo software.

Findings

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. Where participants had experienced past mental illness and burnout, they were articulate in the differences, and that burnout is an occupational phenomenon. Participants detailed the challenges to identity of being ill, away from work, and accessing medical care, including feeling stigmatised. Those that had used specialist services such as practitioner health stated how useful this was.

Consequences

This study adds to our understanding of GP burnout, with in-depth insights into the holistic impact of a burnout episode. Participants did not lack resilience- many had been through the darkest experiences and survived to be reflective and articulate advocates primary care and appropriate support for GPs . The burden of improvement of the holistic health of the GP workforce needs to be moved from the highly motivated, self-reflective, and resilient individuals, to a systems based intervention to identify, reduce and manage distress in GPs.

Submitted by:

Orla Whitehead

Funding acknowledgement:

OW is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) on an in practice fellowship (NIHR301074). https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/NIHR301074 BH is funded by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North East and North Cumbria. https://arc-nenc.nihr.ac.uk/ The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.