Patients will be at RISK as more doctors reduce hours to improve their work-life balance, warns medical regulator By Shaun Wooller, Health Editor Published: 00:26 BST, 8 August 2024 | Updated: 00:27 BST, 8 August 2024 e-mail View comments Doctors are increasingly cutting their hours and refusing overtime as they try to improve their work-life balance, the medical regulator has revealed. The General Medical Council warns the resulting staffing shortages will put patients at risk unless there is urgent action to tackle the trend. It blames burnout and years of falling job satisfaction, with doctors choosing to 'take matters into their own hands'.
The GMC's annual report into the workplace experiences of doctors in the UK shows 19 per cent reduced their hours last year, compared with 8 per cent in 2021. Furthermore, some 41 per cent refused to take on additional work in 2023, up from 23 per cent in 2021. Doctors are increasingly cutting their hours and refusing overtime as they try to improve their work-life balance, the General Medical Council has revealed It says it can be better for patient safety if exhausted doctors opt out of extra hours.
But it adds: 'If the trend continues unaddressed, the capacity of already stretched health services could be reduced even more, putting patients at risk.' Read More GP work-to-rule action will put ONE MILLION more patients into A&E, leaked documents show The news could be a blow to ministers after Labour vowed to ramp up evening and weeke.