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Guest article by Markus Kujawa, EU Policy Advisor at Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME)

Health systems in many European countries are experiencing increasing pressures, with many doctors and other healthcare professionals reporting poor mental health and working conditions. These challenges are contributing to burnout, absenteeism, and professionals leaving the workforce, as demonstrated in the 2024 Health at a Glance report by the OECD.

CPME is committed to building better responses to the mental health needs of doctors and wants to better understand the availability of relevant data, existing screening initiatives, and the types of support systems in place. Doctors’ mental health and wellbeing is vitally dependent on high quality training, safe and lawful working conditions, and positive practice environments, therefore there is a need to take action on these points as a priority. Over the past months, we have been collaborating with WHO/Europe on their large-scale survey to improve understanding of the mental health and wellbeing of doctors and nurses, and the relationship between working conditions and mental health. The results will be published in autumn. In coming months, we will also be conducting our own survey to gain an overview of how European countries address the mental health needs of doctors. We are interested in understanding the availability of relevant data, existing screening initiatives, and the types of support systems in place. This includes information related to physician burnout, substance abuse, and suicide prevention. 

CPME has also joined the WHO Strategic Partners Initiative for Data and Digital Health which is looking into finding digital tools that can help tackle the mental health challenges of the workforce, in particular in reducing the health workforce burn-out and short-term sick leaves. In March, our working group on public health concluded that digital tools developed for doctors can be effective in prevention and early detection when evaluated and assessed properly. However, mobile applications or other digital tools should only be supplementary to broader occupational health measures. It is encouraging to see that the EU institutions are also committing to action. The European Parliament has called on the EU institutions and the member states to recognise the scale of work-related mental health problems and to act accordingly. In 2023, the European Commission published their comprehensive approach to mental health. It aims to ensure a cross sectoral approach and look at mental health across all policies. CPME was pleased to see that the approach addressed training and capacity building of healthcare professionals. Beyond professionals’ mental health, it is also interesting that the approach mentions social prescribing as an innovative approach to improve well-being and mental health.  

There is a need for continuing investment in mental healthcare and health systems reforms, and for breaking the stigma around mental health. Promotion of good mental health and prevention, early detection and screening of mental health problems must be prioritised. CPME looks forward to contributing towards the work ahead. Lastly, as President Ursula von der Leyen mentioned in her political guidelines for 2024-2029, one of our greatest challenges in this decade is protecting the mental health of our children and young people – especially online. CPME looks forward to contributing towards the work ahead.