Every third doctor or nurse faces depression, WHO report reveals

Europe’s healthcare workers are facing a deepening mental health crisis, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report backed by the European Commission, which has already triggered growing concern and action at EU level.

“One in three doctors and nurses report depression or anxiety, and more than one in 10 have thought about ending their lives or hurting themselves,” said Hans Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe. 

The report released today by Kluge’s office is the WHO’s largest to date on the wellbeing of healthcare workers. It is the first survey to examine health professionals across all EU member states, plus Iceland and Norway.

Unsafe working conditions – including exposure to violence, consistently long hours, shift work, and excessive workload – were directly linked to poor mental health, the report found. 

Kluge warned that this mental health crisis among healthcare workers threatens the integrity of Europe’s healthcare systems and represents a wider health security crisis.  

“This is an unacceptable burden on those who care for us”, said Kluge, noting that as more doctors and nurses leave the profession, patients will face longer waiting times and a lower quality of care. “In the end, everyone pays the price,” he added. 

The WHO report also projects that Europe could face a shortfall of around 940,000 healthcare workers by 2030 if urgent action is not taken.

EU response builds

“This comes as no surprise,” Adam Rogalewski, health policy officer at the European Public Service Union (EPSU), told Euractiv.

He added that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, workers were already under significant strain, with the pandemic exacerbating existing problems.

The European Commission is acutely aware of the problem, as the report was funded under a joint project between WHO/Europe and the EU Executive. 

In the European Parliament, the Public Health (SANT) and Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) committees have joined forces to tackle the issue. They are drafting an ‘EU health workforce crisis plan’, aimed at proposing policy measures to strengthen Europe’s healthcare workforce.

Rapporteurs Loucas Fourlas (EPP, EMPL) and Ruggero Razza (ECR, SANT) were due to submit their first draft of the report by 30 September.

Shadow rapporteur András Kulja (SANT) told Euractiv, that the Parliament’s report “will call on the European Commission and the member states to embed mental health support, burnout prevention, flexible working conditions, part-time possibilities, the strengthening of professional organisations, and a reduction of administrative burden”.

The trade union has been calling for a dedicated directive on psychological risk factors, Rogalewski explained, adding that the findings of the report will feed into the European Parliament’s ongoing work.

(bms, aw)