NHS staff are suffering from poor health because of high levels of stress, according to the annual report by Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer.
Dr Catherine Calderwood’s report focuses on Personalising Realistic Medicine for patients.
But she also wrote: “It is rightly a matter of concern that staff working in the NHS are subject to high levels of stress and strain resulting in ill-health and absenteeism.
“This also impacts on financial costs and, importantly, on patient care.”
The figures within the report show 60 per cent of doctors surveyed across the UK reported their satisfaction with work-life balance had deteriorated “somewhat” or “significantly” in the past two years.
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One in four doctors said they had considered leaving the medical profession at least every month.
The report concluded the medical profession is “at a critical juncture”.
Calderwood added: “Creating environments where staff feel valued, respected and supported is vital if we are to retain and develop our workforce to respond to the challenges of delivering a world-class health and care service for the people of Scotland.”
Professor Derek Bell OBE, president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, added: “We feel that, at a time when the NHS is under increasing pressure, we would all benefit from clear outcome measurements that would help to demonstrate the changes in practice that we all want to see.”
