Two-thirds of Irish doctors surveyed do not take sick leave if mentally unwell

Some 50% of Irish doctors surveyed felt not taking sick leave may have meant delivering a lower standard of patient care while 19% said their failure to take time off could have led to missed or incorrect diagnoses. iStock

Almost two thirds of doctors working in Ireland did not take sick leave for serious mental ill-health, with 19% fearing this may have led to missed or incorrect diagnosis, a “worrying” survey shows.

Some 50% of doctors felt not taking sick leave may have meant delivering a lower standard of patient care.

Doctors also said they were rude to patients and did not show empathy due to feeling so ill themselves, the Medical Protection Society survey found.

Guilt about long waiting lists and high workloads faced by colleagues also led to doctors not requesting sick leave. 

Some also said it is not considered acceptable in their workplace to take sick leave for mental health reasons.

One doctor said: “I’m aware that if I’m not mentally on top of things I am more likely to make mistakes in patient care or forget to follow up on patients.

“I really worry about this and worry about patients’ wellbeing and my own medico-legal risk — but most of all I dread that feeling I get when I realise I have forgotten to do something.

“It really increases my stress and undermines my confidence.”

Others raised similar concerns, including one who said they fear making a mistake “that would have been avoided if I had been well”.

Another pointed to pressures, saying: “Waiting list to see me is 12 to 18 months, I can’t let people down. There are no slots to reschedule them so if I don’t come in they won’t get seen.”

One shared serious concerns, saying: 

I have, at my worst, considered suicide but never did I consider taking time off work. Only as I write that looking back I realise how crazy that sounds. 

The survey of 548 doctors found 42% continued working while ill because their patients relied on them and 31% because of long waiting lists. 

Some 44% said staff shortages made considering leave impossible and 56% felt too guilty about their colleagues’ workload.

A further 46% said time off for mental wellbeing issues was not deemed acceptable at their work.

Medical Protection Society medical director Rob Hendry. 'We hope the new Government will look closely at the issue of doctors’ mental wellbeing,' Dr Hendry said. 

The impact on patients was clear also with 64% talking about a lack of empathy for their patients and 67% mentioning a lack of concentration.

The Medical Protection Society, which represents the interests of over 16,000 healthcare professionals in Ireland, called for accessible mental health supports.

The society's medical director Rob Hendry said the findings are “worrying”. He said: 

When mental wellbeing is poor, a doctor should feel able and supported to take time off to recuperate or seek support.

“Not doing so could exacerbate the issue, result in them taking more time off in the longer term, or even leaving the medical profession altogether,” Dr Hendry said.

He raised concerns about patient safety, and acknowledged the complexity of changing attitudes towards presenteeism, meaning the pressure to come to work at all costs.

He urged: “We hope the new Government will look closely at the issue of doctors’ mental wellbeing — it is critical in retaining the medical workforce and requires long-term thinking.”