HEALTH SERVICES
MENTAL HEALTH
Staff burnout having negative impact on outcomes of mental health patients
'Radical' recruitment and retention measures needed in mental health services, warns College of Psychiatrists of Ireland
October 2, 2023
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Increasing rates of burnout and stress among doctors are having a “hugely negative impact” on patient care in Ireland, the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland has warned.
The College said that radical plans for both doctor recruitment and doctor retention in mental health services and a significant increase in mental health spending were needed to improve the situation.Findings released by the College from several recent studies conducted among doctors included:- Nearly half (46%) of all doctors experience occupational stress (versus 23% of the general population)
- One in three psychiatrist specialist doctors experience burnout
- One in ten experience severe depression, anxiety and stress
- One in five feel they do not have enough time for family/personal life
- Four in five feel effort exceeds non-financial rewards gained.
College president Dr Lorcan Martin said that for every €20 of funding in the health system in the past year, just €1 went into mental health.
This needs to double at the very least (to €2 billion) to bring Ireland into line with mental health services of comparable countries such as France, England and Scotland, according to Dr Martin.