Burnout Drops, But Doctors Still Eyeing Exit

Doctors in the UK reported “ marginal, but clear” improvements in well-being in 2024, according to the General Medical Council (GMC).

Its latest report  found that overall satisfaction had risen, burnout risk had dropped, and workloads had eased slightly. 

However, almost one in five (19%) said they were considering leaving the UK to work abroad — a figure largely unchanged from 18% in 2022 and 20% in 2023.

Career Stagnation a Major Concern

A third of doctors said they were unable to progress in their education, training, or careers in the way they wanted. The GMC warned that heavy workloads, competition for posts, and lack of senior support for development were harming doctors’ career prospects.

The report found a clear link between career control and their overall well-being. Among doctors who felt able to progress as they wished, 81% reported job satisfaction and 59% were at very low risk of burnout. In contrast, only 33% of those lacking this sense of control were satisfied, and just 18% were at very low risk of burnout.

GMC chief executive Charlie Massey said:

“Like any profession, doctors who are disillusioned with their careers will start looking elsewhere.”

Growing Interest in Overseas Work

The report, based on responses from 4697 doctors around the UK, showed that 43% had looked into opportunities abroad.

The top reason for considering emigration was the perception that doctors are “treated better” overseas. Pay was the second most common reason.

Some 15% had taken “hard steps” towards leaving UK practice, such as applying for roles or contacting recruiters.

“We must be alive to the ongoing risks to retention of doctors and the impact of losing talented staff,” the report warned. “This could threaten Government ambitions to reduce waiting times and deliver better care to patients.”

GPs Under Greatest Strain 

The findings highlighted notable differences between specialties, with GPs facing particularly high levels of pressure.

GPs were 50% more likely to be struggling compared with all doctors (44% vs 29%). Nearly half (46%) said they were dissatisfied, compared with 33% of all doctors.

In addition, 61% of GPs said they found it difficult to provide adequate patient care at least once a week, compared with 40% of all doctors.

Burnout Down, Stress Leave Up

The proportion of doctors at high risk of burnout dropped from 25% in 2022 to 18% in 2024. 

However, almost a quarter (23%) took a leave of absence due to stress in 2024 — nearly double the 12% reported in 2019.

Although 59% of doctors were satisfied with their day-to-day work in 2024, up from 53% in 2023, this remained lower than the 2019 figure of 63%. 

“Without action, ambitions to move more patient care from hospitals to communities may well be thwarted,” the GMC warned.

Patient Safety Still at Risk

In 2024, 40% of doctors said they had seen patient safety being compromised — a figure broadly in line with previous years. 

The same proportion reported struggling to provide sufficient care weekly: slightly down from 43% in 2023 but still higher than the 34% in the pre-pandemic year of 2019. 

Inadequate staffing remained the most frequently reported barrier to care, cited by 72% of doctors. 

Regional Variations

Doctors in England, Scotland, and Wales generally reported workplace experiences in line with the UK average. 

However, in Northern Ireland, responses were notably more negative. There, 26% of doctors were at high risk of burnout compared with an 18% UK average. More than half (54%) said they struggled to provide patient care at least once a week, compared with an average of 40% across the UK as a whole. 

“Doctors need to be satisfied, supported, and see a hopeful future for themselves, or we may risk losing their talent and expertise altogether,” warned Massey. 

Reaction to the Report

Commenting on the GMC report, Billy Palmer, senior fellow at the Nuffield Trust think tank, said: “Pay and industrial action have been a lightning rod for dissatisfaction among doctors, but this survey puts a spotlight on the wider difficulties facing the medical profession. 

Job guarantees, better rotas and placements, and protection of training time all need to be on the table.”

Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, called for the report’s findings to be taken seriously by the NHS.

“It is encouraging to see ‘green shoots’ emerging, including improvements in doctors’ workplace experiences for the second year in a row, and a reduction in burnout risk,” he said. “But more needs to be done to get back to where we were before the pandemic.”

Rob Hicks is a retired National Health Service doctor. A well-known TV and radio broadcaster, he has written several books and has regularly contributed to national newspapers, magazines, and online publications. He is based in the United Kingdom.