ArticleBMJ open2021
Psychological and occupational impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on UK surgeons: a qualitative investigation.
Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 48 citations in OpenAlex.
- Impacts for health and care workers of Covid-19 and other public health emergencies of international concern: living systematic review, meta-analysis and policy recommendations.Human resources for health · 2024Pooled it
- Socioeconomic impacts of airborne and droplet-borne infectious diseases on industries: a systematic review.BMC infectious diseases · 2024Pooled it
- Occupational injury and job esteem in relation to burnout dimensions among nurses in Beijing: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Secondary stressors and their psychosocial impacts on healthcare staff: lessons from a qualitative systematic review from the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.BJPsych open · 2025Review
- Impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency on healthcare professional delivery of opportunistic behaviour change interventions: a retrospective cohort study.BMC health services research · 2024Article
- Paradoxical experiences of healthcare workers during COVID-19: a qualitative analysis of anonymous, web-based, audio narratives.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2023Article
- Tackling a Post-COVID-19 Cholecystectomy Waiting List: Are We Meeting the Challenge?Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Observational
- The impact of health inequities on physicians' occupational well-being during COVID-19: A qualitative analysis from four US cities.Journal of hospital medicine · 2023Article
- Qualitative Research and Applications in Colorectal Surgery.Clinics in colon and rectal surgery · 2023Review
- Evaluation of a training programme for critical incident debrief facilitators.Occupational medicine (Oxford, England) · 2023Article
- Information seeking, mental health and loneliness: Longitudinal analyses of adults in the UK COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing study.Psychiatry research · 2022Article
- Global impact of COVID-19 on surgeons and team members (GlobalCOST): a cross-sectional study.BMJ open · 2022Article
- Long Covid - a cause of concern for surgical training.Journal of hip preservation surgery · 2022Article
- Barriers and enablers to accessing support services offered by staff wellbeing hubs: A qualitative study.Frontiers in psychology · 2022Article
- Burnout Among Surgeons in the UK During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cohort Study.World journal of surgery · 2022Article
- The overall impact of COVID-19 on healthcare during the pandemic: A multidisciplinary point of view.Health science reports · 2021Review
- The Experience of a Single NHS England Trust on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Junior and Middle-Grade Doctors: What Is Next?International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic represents the greatest biopsychosocial emergency the world has faced for a century. The pandemic has changed how individuals live and work, and in particular, frontline healthcare professionals have been exposed to alarming levels of stress.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to understand the professional and personal effects of COVID-19 pandemic on surgeons working in the UK National Health Service (NHS).
settingSurgical departments in the NHS.
designBetween May and July 2020, as part of an ongoing study, we asked surgeons two open-ended questions: 'What challenges are the COVID-19 crisis currently presenting to you in your work and home life?' and 'How is this stress affecting you personally?' Thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data. Responses to the second question were also categorised into four groups reflecting valence: positive, neutral, mildly negative and strongly negative.
resultsA total of 141 surgeons responded to the survey and the results indicated that 85.8% reported that they were generally negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, of which 7.8% were strongly affected in a negative way. Qualitative thematic analysis identified four key themes from responses relating to the impact of the pandemic: (1) changing and challenging work environment as a result of COVID-19; (2) challenges to professional life and development; (3) management of change and loss in the respondents' personal lives; (4) emotional and psychological impacts.
conclusionThe results highlighted the substantial emotional and psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgeons' mental health, particularly in relation to fear and anxiety, loss of motivation, low mood, stress and burnout. There is an urgent need for workplace support and mental health interventions to help surgeons cope with the difficulties they face during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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