WHO survey: urgent action needed to protect the mental health of Europe’s health workforce
WHO Europe’s new publication, Mental Health of Nurses and Doctors: Survey in the European Union, Iceland and Norway reports that nurses and doctors experience both high rates of mental health difficulties and unfavourable working conditions that negatively impact their mental health and well-being. The average prevalence of major depressive disorder is 30% in the sample, which suggests a five-fold higher rate compared to estimates in the general population. Nurses and younger staff are particularly affected.
Respondents point to a familiar cluster of pressures: chronic understaffing, long shifts, unpaid overtime, administrative overload, limited flexibility, and the emotional strain of frontline care. Many also describe barriers to getting help—stigma, confidentiality concerns, and a lack of dedicated services inside their organisations.
The report proposes seven policy actions. Taken together these will prevent mental ill health, protect and promote mental health and well-being and create the enabling environments necessary to improve retention and attraction of health and care workers and ultimately contribute to reversing the health workforce crisis facing health care systems.
1. Enforce a zero-tolerance approach to bullying, harassment, and other forms of workplace violence.
2. Improve predictability and flexibility related to shift work.
3. Manage overtime in line with health workers’ needs and entitlements while reimagining workplace norms and culture.
4. Manage excessive workload to deliver quality health services, by focusing on improving staffing approaches and optimizing workflows.
5. Build the capacity and accountability of healthcare leaders and managers to promote and protect staff mental health and well-being, making protection of staff mental health a key performance measure.
6. Make mental health and substance use support available and accessible to all workers to facilitate early intervention.
7. Prioritize regular assessment and reporting of mental health and working conditions.
