Concerns were raised about the risk of suicide among healthcare workers during the pandemic after a number of high-profile cases were reported in the media. Researchers from the University of Bristol, King’s College London and UCL (University College London), sought to investigate the prevalence and incidence of suicidal thoughts and behaviour among NHS healthcare workers in England and their relationship with occupational risk factors. 

The team analysed responses from the NHS CHECK longitudinal online surveys completed by healthcare workers (clinical and non-clinical), students, and volunteers in 18 NHS Trusts across England during the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses from 12,514 participants were completed at baseline, and 7,160 participants at 6 months follow up, between April 2020 and August 2021. 

Results highlighted that exposure to events that went against moral values, a lack of confidence about raising safety concerns, and these concerns being addressed, feeling unsupported by managers, and having to provide a reduced standard of care, significantly contributed to staff distress during the pandemic. At the second six-month time point, among clinicians, a lack of confidence about safety concerns being addressed, independently predicted suicidal thoughts. 

Read the full University of Bristol news item

Paper: ‘Suicidal thoughts and behaviour among healthcare workers in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study‘ by Prianka Padmanathan et al. in PLOS ONE [open access].