Management standards and burnout among surgeons in the United Kingdom
Authors: Houdmont J , Daliya P , Adiamah A , Theophilidou E , Hassard J , Lobo D N ,   East Midlands Surgical Academic Network (EMSAN) Burnout Study Group, Ahmed Jamil , Babu Victor , Baker Daryll , Bartlett David , Beckingham Ian , Bhatti Imran , Brooks Adam , Brown Steven , Burke Josh , Byrne Hannah , Chetter Ian , Cook Hannah , Coulston James , Cruddas Lucinda , Dias Richard , Dor Frank , Dube Mukul , Grant Katherine , Hammond John , Hargest Rachel , Joachim Theophilus , Joseph Annie , Kara Naveed , Karavias Dimitrios , Kotecha Sita , Kushairi Anisa , Lal Roshan , Lam Kit , Lasrado Irwin , Lee Rachel , Mann Gurminder , Mannu George , Maxwell-Armstrong Charles , McCaslin James , McDermot Frank , Miller Andrew , Miller Sarah , Morgan Jenna , Nandhra Sandip , Narayanasamy Sangara , O’Brien Patrick , Parry Laura , Peters Kizzie , Pitsika Marina , Psaltis Emmanouil , Sargen Kevin , Sarmah Panchali , Shyamsundar Murali , Reddy Chinnappa , Rollins Katie , Roslan Farah , Shalhoub Joseph , Stanislas Matt , Tan Benjamin , Tewari Nilanjana , Thomas Pradeep , Thomas Tony , Tiernan Jim , Toogood Giles , Trimble Karl , Vaughan-Shaw Peter , Wheldon Luke , White Steven , White Tim , Wijetunga Imeshi , Wilson Michael , Winterborn Rebecca , Wyld Lynda , Young Lora 
Published: October 2023

Background

Burnout arising from chronic work-related stress is endemic among surgeons in the UK. Identification of contributory and modifiable psychosocial work characteristics could inform risk reduction activities.

Aims

We aimed to assess the extent to which surgeons’ psychosocial working conditions met aspirational Management Standards delineated by the UK Health and Safety Executive, draw comparisons with national general workforce benchmarks and explore associations with burnout.

Methods

Surgeons (N = 536) completed the Management Standards Indicator Tool and a single-item measure of burnout. Descriptive data were computed for each Standard, independent t-tests were used to examine differences between trainees and consultants, and hierarchical linear regression was applied to explore relations between psychosocial work environment quality and burnout.

Results

Psychosocial work environment quality fell short of each Management Standard. Trainee surgeons (n = 214) reported significantly poorer psychosocial working conditions than consultant surgeons (n = 322) on the control, peer support and change Standards. When compared with UK workforce benchmarks, trainees’ psychosocial working conditions fell below the 10th percentile on four Standards and below the 50th percentile on the remainder. Consultant surgeons were below the 50th percentile on five of the seven Standards. Psychosocial working conditions accounted for 35% of the variance in burnout over that accounted for by socio- and occupational-demographic characteristics.

Conclusions

Surgeons’ psychosocial working conditions were poor in comparison with benchmark data and associated with burnout. These findings suggest that risk management activities based on the Management Standards approach involving modification of psychosocial working conditions would help to reduce burnout in this population.