How UK surgeons experience burnout and the link between burnout and patient care: A qualitative investigation

Poor well-being affects the performance of all kinds of workers, including surgeons. This study aimed to answer two questions: (1) how does burnout affect surgeons personally, and what is their burnout experience like? (2) How does burnout affect the care that surgeons provide in the United Kingdom (UK)?

This study conducted thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 14 surgeons recruited from the UK National Health Service (NHS).

The study found three themes in surgeons' experiences of burnout: first, burnout is common but frequently not recognised nor understood; second, burnout is a personal crisis; and third, burnout creates vulnerability at work. The study also revealed four themes related to burnout's effect on patient care: first, burnout reduces the quality of surgeon-patient relationships; second, burnout affects patient safety; third, burnout impairs staff relationships; and fourth, burnout makes surgeons less motivated to improve.

Burnout is common but not well recognised in surgeons. Improving understanding and treatment of burnout could have benefits for both surgeons themselves and the care they provide to patients.