- “The workload and bullying in the workplace have made me consider resigning from my current profession.”
- “There is no outlet to express my concerns or dissatisfaction as my thoughts are merely dismissed as complaining and the lack of resilience”.
- “Physical exhaustion causing mental drainage.”
One in five doctors (20%) in Malaysia say they are considering their future in healthcare due to mental wellbeing concerns, and nearly a quarter (24%) cite the impact of exhaustion or burnout on patient safety as a key factor affecting their mental wellbeing.
In the Medical Protection Society (MPS) survey of nearly 362 doctors in Malaysia, 83% of doctors go on to say that on-call shortages make it difficult to take time off to deal with mental wellbeing issues.
The survey results follow a commitment from the newly elected Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president, Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz, to prioritise the wellbeing of doctors during her term as president. At her inaugural speech in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, last month she said ensuring the wellbeing of healthcare workers was paramount to maintaining high quality care for the best possible outcomes.
MPS – the world’s leading protection organisation for healthcare professionals, supporting over 4,000 healthcare professionals in Malaysia and over 300,000 globally, is encouraging doctors to utilise the mental wellbeing support resources available, such as those provided by MPS and the MMA.
Dr Rob Hendry, Medical Director at MPS said, "Doctors dedicate their lives to the noble cause of healing and caring for others, and as part of that it can sometimes feel we must demonstrate personal resilience and strength at all times. This can make it difficult to acknowledge and seek support with our own health issues - especially mental wellbeing issues - meaning they can be overlooked.
“The reality is that many doctors all around the world are grappling with mental wellbeing concerns due to the immense pressures and challenges they face daily. As our survey shows, Malaysia is no exception, and doctors in Malaysia should not suffer in silence.
“When mental wellbeing is poor, it is worrying for the individual, but can also jeopardise patient care. Without support, mental wellbeing issues can also get worse and result in doctors needing time off work or even contemplating leaving the healthcare profession altogether.
“We need to work as a community to break down the stigma associated with doctors seeking mental wellbeing support, and we very much welcome new MMA President Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz’s commitment to mental wellbeing in her term. Ultimately, seeking support can help doctors continue to perform at their best for patients, and enjoy their careers in medicine for longer. It should be actively encouraged.
“We would urge healthcare professionals who are struggling, to make use of the mental wellbeing resources and support available – for example, MPS provides an independent, 24/7 counselling service for those experiencing stress that they feel could impact their practice, as a benefit of membership. The MMA, in partnership with the Ministry of Health Malaysia, also runs the Helpdoc Helpline – a mental wellbeing support service for all doctors reachable by email or phone.”
Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz, President of the MMA, added: “Mental wellbeing is a top priority during my term as President of the MMA. Our healthcare professionals are the backbone of our nation's health, and their mental health matters deeply. We are committed to addressing these challenges head-on and creating an environment where every healthcare professional feels valued, protected, and equipped to provide the highest level of care to patients."
Healthcare professionals who participated in the MPS survey commented anonymously:
“The workload and bullying in the workplace have made me consider resigning from my current profession. There is no outlet to express my concerns or dissatisfaction as my thoughts are merely dismissed as complaining and the lack of resilience”.
“Physical exhaustion causing mental drainage.”
“Need help to reach out to a Consultant Psychiatrist or Counsellor who can support mental health.”
“Not many people understand the pressure and stress anaesthesiologists are under since the year 2020. Since the pandemic, we have been working tirelessly. Even when we are tired, there are patients waiting for surgeries and we are pushed to provide more services.”
“I feel now medical litigation is becoming more common, and this worries me. It feels like there is not much joy in practicing medicine anymore, I almost always the need to practice defensive medicine and ordering unnecessary tests just to cover myself”.
“There are not enough people to assist or manage the wards, especially at night. It puts us at severe pressure to ensure the blood investigations are done during the night itself and prior to the arrival of the morning colleagues. With a lack of staff, it certainly puts us at great risk.”
Notes to editors
For further information contact [email protected].
Additional information:
- 362 doctors in Malaysia contributed to the survey which was undertaken by MPS between 26th May 2023 – 30th June 2023.
- Medical Protection offers free counselling to its members experiencing stress that they feel could impact their practice. The service is entirely independent and confidential and is available in both Malay and English. Members can call at 1800 889 355 or +60 16 216 0379 and quote their Medical Protection membership number to book a free session. For more information visit Counselling service (medicalprotection.org)
- The MMA Helpdoc Helpline, in partnership with the Ministry of Health Malaysia, extends its vital support for mental wellbeing to all doctors. Doctors can reach out via email at [email protected] or by phone at +60 3 4041 1140 during office hours from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. For more information visit HELPDOC – MMA.
- Health Workers’ Mental Issues A ‘Red Flag’: MMA - CodeBlue (galencentre.org)
Key findings:
- 1 in 5 doctors in Malaysia (20%) say they are considering their future in healthcare due to mental wellbeing concerns.
- Nearly a quarter (24%) cite the impact of exhaustion or burnout on patient safety as a key factor affecting their mental wellbeing.
- 83% say that on-call shortages make it difficult to take time off to deal with mental wellbeing issues.
About MPS
The Medical Protection Society Limited (“MPS”) is the world’s leading protection organisation for doctors, dentists, and healthcare professionals. We protect and support the professional interests of more than 300,000 members around the world. Membership provides access to expert advice and support and can also provide, depending on the type of membership required, the right to request indemnity for any complaints or claims arising from professional practice.
Our in-house experts assist with the wide range of legal and ethical problems that arise from professional practice. This can include clinical negligence claims, complaints, medical and dental council inquiries, legal and ethical dilemmas, disciplinary procedures, inquests, and fatal accident inquiries.
Our philosophy is to support safe practice in medicine and dentistry by helping to avert problems in the first place. We do this by promoting risk management through our workshops, E-learning, clinical risk assessments, publications, conferences, lectures and presentations.
MPS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MPS are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.