HEALING HANDS ? HURTING MINDS
A major new WHO/Europe survey has revealed alarming rates of mental health problems among doctors and nurses across the continent. Conducted across all 27 EU member states as well as Iceland and Norway, the Mental Health of Nurses and Doctors (MeND) survey gathered over 90,000 responses, making it the largest study of its kind. Released on World Mental Health Day, its findings paint a grim picture of overworked, under-supported medical staff facing mounting psychological distress.
According to the results, one in three doctors and nurses reported symptoms of depression or anxiety, while one in ten said they had recently experienced passive suicidal thoughts ? including feelings of being ?better off dead? or of self-harm. These figures represent roughly double the rate of suicidal ideation seen in the general population. WHO/Europe described the situation as a clear consequence of years of underinvestment in health systems and the workforce that sustains them.
The data also revealed widespread violence and harassment in medical workplaces. Over the past year, one-third of respondents said they had been bullied or threatened, and one in ten had been physically assaulted or sexually harassed. Long working hours and insecure employment further exacerbate these pressures: one in four doctors reported working more than 50 hours a week, while nearly a third of doctors and a quarter of nurses are employed on temporary contracts?conditions strongly linked to stress and anxiety about job security.
The report found that those exposed to workplace violence, exhausting shifts, and irregular night work are significantly more likely to experience depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge called the findings ?a stark reminder that Europe's health systems are only as strong as the people who power them.? He warned that the emotional toll on medical staff represents not just a human tragedy but a broader ?health security crisis? that threatens the integrity of entire health systems.
Dr Kluge urged governments and health institutions to take immediate steps: enforcing zero-tolerance policies against violence and harassment, reforming shift schedules and overtime culture, reducing excessive workloads through better staffing and digital efficiency, and providing confidential, stigma-free mental health support. He also emphasized the need for strong leadership accountability to ensure that workplaces are safe and supportive.
Despite the strain, many health professionals remain committed to their vocation. The MeND survey found that three out of four doctors and two out of three nurses still report a strong sense of purpose and overall job satisfaction. Yet the passion that keeps them going is overshadowed by exhaustion and burnout. ?We are physically and mentally exhausted, which can lead to mistakes,? said Mlanie Debarreix, a radiology resident in France. She noted that 66% of French medical students had experienced a depressive episode in the past year and 21% had suicidal thoughts ? figures three times higher than in the general population. Debarreix called for stricter enforcement of rest periods and limits on working hours, as well as more funding to ensure that medical professionals can practice in line with their ethical standards.
The consequences of neglecting healthcare workers? mental health ripple outward. Up to 40% of doctors and nurses suffering from depression reported taking sick leave over the past year, while between 11% and 34% said they were considering leaving their jobs altogether. Such losses diminish the quality and accessibility of care for patients and deepen existing workforce shortages. ?Across Europe, the pressures faced by health workers may differ, but the impact on mental health is universal,? said Dr Natasha Azzopardi-Muscat, WHO/Europe's Director of Health Systems. She stressed that well-being indicators should be treated as fundamental measures of system performance?on par with patient safety or hospital capacity.
The MeND findings build upon WHO/Europe's Time to Act report from 2022, which warned that Europe's recruitment of health and care workers was failing to keep pace with rising demand. Without urgent reform, the region could face a shortfall of around 940,000 health professionals by 2030.
Improving working conditions, WHO argues, would not only reduce absenteeism and attrition but also attract new talent to the field. To achieve this, the organization outlined seven key policy priorities: zero tolerance for workplace violence; greater predictability and flexibility in shift work; management of overtime to end ?work-till-exhaustion? culture; reducing excessive workloads; training and accountability for health leaders; broad access to mental health services; and routine monitoring of healthcare workers? well-being.
?With Europe facing a shortage of nearly one million health workers by 2030, we cannot afford to lose them to burnout, despair, or violence,? Dr Kluge concluded. ?Their well-being is not only a moral duty?it is the foundation of safe, high-quality care for every patient. Let this survey serve as the wake-up call our health systems so urgently need.?