A survey by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has found that only one in four substantive consultant physicians in the UK feel valued by the hospital in which they work.
The key findings from the wellbeing survey – undertaken by the RCP's Medical Workforce Unit on behalf of the RCP, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow – include that, more than 50% of the time, 78% of consultants felt valued by patients and 70% by colleagues/staff, but only 26% felt valued by the hospital. Only 35% of consultants felt fulfilled more than 50% of the time.
When asked what their dream job plan would be, 52% of respondents said it would entail more research, 41% said more teaching, and 47% said more time with patients.
The survey asked questions about wellbeing that had not previously been explored in the annual consultant census, Focus on physicians. It was sent to one-third of substantive consultant physicians currently at work in the UK (with a response rate of 30%).
The Medical Workforce Unit (MWU) will be undertaking more short surveys of representative portions of the physician workforce. If you would like to be involved in the MWU's work, please email mwucensus@rcplondon.ac.uk.
