Burnout Syndrome Among Diabetes Specialist Trainee Registrars in United Kingdom

Assessing the Frequency of Burnout Syndrome Among Diabetes Specialist Trainee Registrars in United Kingdom and Identifying Any Associated Factors

Burnout Syndrome is a medical condition caused by long-term job-related strain and is defined by presence of either one or more of the three states i.e. emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment. Burnout has been shown to cause decreased work output and mental well being of employees and increase errors at workplace. Burnout is observed in various lines of work and but has been found to be especially high among healthcare professionals. Diabetes Mellitus is a generally a life-long condition and diabetes specialists deal with patients of this chronic condition frequently. The burnout among diabetes specialist trainees in United Kingdom was found to be over 50% in a study done in pre-pandemic times in 2018 and there is a need to repeat this study to see if there any change in terms of presence of burnout in this group of health care professionals.

Burnout syndrome can develop after a prolonged response to chronic emotional and interpersonal workplace stressors, and is defined by 3 dimensions - emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment. The consequences of burnout on an employee can be on a psychological and somatic level as well as on her/his ability to perform work, and hospital physicians with burnout have higher sickness and absenteeism and decreases work output. Burnout among physicians can also lead to medical mistakes and increasing the odds for workplace failure with adverse affects in their attitude towards their work. Research has shown that doctors reporting high workload and a unsupported work climate have higher stress, burnout and dissatisfaction with their career.

Study done by author previously in 2018 among Diabetes specialist registrars in England Scotland and Wales identified burnout syndrome in 57.5% respondents with commonest self-reported stressors being workload and lack of specialty training. In order to address this problem nationally, there is need to re-assess the presence of burnout and then consider planning for any interventional steps that may help reduce burnout.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. All specialty doctors working in Diabetes or Endocrinology department post foundation years, in the following deaneries/regions in United Kingdom

   • Health Education Yorkshire & Humber
   • Health Education East Midlands
   • Health Education East of England
   • Health Education Kent Surrey & Sussex
   • Health Education North West & Mersey Deanery
   • Health Education North East
   • Health Education South West Peninsula and Severn Deanery
   • Health Education Thames Valley (Oxford)
   • Health Education Wessex
   • Health Education West Midlands
   • London Deanery (North West, North Central & East London, South London)
   • Northern Ireland Medical & Dental Training Agency
   • Scotland Deanery (West, South East, East, North)
   • Wales Deanery

2. Doctors currently working for the last 3 months in either one of the following posts:

   • Clinical fellow/ non-deanery training post/locally employed trainee
   • Academic clinical fellow trainee / ACF
   • Core Trainee or Specialist trainee year 3/ awaiting National Training Number
   • Associate Specialist Equivalent/Trust middle grade
   • Specialist trainee year 4 through year 8
   • Clinical Lecturer
   • Diabetes consultant (new i.e within 3 years of appointment, locum, fixed term or substantive)

3. Currently working in UK for at least six months in the last one year

4. Agreeing to participate via informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Self-reported presence of mental health illness and/or active treatment.
• Not currently working for more than 3 months e.g on sick leave.