The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of UK healthcare workers

Abstract Background There is an urgent need to understand the psychological impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on UK healthcare workers (HCW). Aims To reveal risk and protective factors associated with poor mental wellbeing of HCW working during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. Method 2773 UK HCWs completed a survey between 22ndApril and 10th May 2020 containing scales measuring anxiety, depression, PTSD, and stress, and questions about roles and COVID-19-related factors including workplace preparation and risk management. Respondents were classified as high or low symptomatic on each mental health scale and logistic regression revealed risk and protective factors associated with each outcome. Change in wellbeing from pre to during COVID-19 was also quantified. Results A large proportion of UK HCW had high mental health symptoms. ‘Fixed’ risk factors of poor mental health included being female, being ‘frontline’, pre-existing mental health diagnoses, and experience of stressful/traumatic events. An additional set of ‘controllable’ factors also significantly increased risk: PPE availability, workload, lack of COVID-19 preparation and training, and insufficient communication of clinical procedures. Resilience and sharing stress reduced risk, as did ethical support for those making treatment decisions. Allied HCW and managers were at elevated risk of high symptoms particularly PTSD. Wellbeing, especially of frontline workers, had significantly worsened compared to before COVID-19. Conclusions Poor mental wellbeing was prevalent in HCW during the UK COVID-19 response. A number of controllable factors should be targeted, and protective factors promoted, to reduce the detrimental effect of COVID-19 and other pandemics on HCW mental health.