Objective To identify priority interventions for the
prevention and reduction of work stress and burnout
in hospital doctors through analysis of (1) doctors’
experiences of work stress and burnout and (2) their
preferences with respect to interventions.
Design Qualitative design using semistructured
interviews analysed with deductive thematic analysis.
Setting Hospitals in Ireland.
Participants 32 hospital doctors (16 practising
consultants and 16 doctors in training) from a range of
specialties, career stages, hospital types and locations.
Results Practical, system-focused interventions
were found to be most needed. Challenges with basic
entitlements, that is, accessing statutory leave, knowing in
advance when leave can be taken and being adequately
covered when on leave were identified as requiring urgent
attention. Other priority interventions identified were
the integration of psychological support in the everyday
working environment, time and training for clinical line
managers to perform key management activities such as
debriefing and education interventions which highlight
work stress risks and care pathways, teach self-care and
train doctors in how to support one another.
Conclusions Hospital doctors are feeling the effects of
greater demand and fewer resources. What they most
urgently need is adequate staffing levels, access to
statutory leave and adequate cover when on leave. Doctors
do not receive the support they need from their clinical line
managers, who lack the skills and time to excel as people
managers. Organisations should focus on developing
clinical management skills across the system. The
culture of medicine needs to change from stigmatisation
and competitiveness to compassion and collaboration.
Organisations, medical schools and professional bodies
can steer this change through education