In parallel with this, the Swedish Medical Association has conducted a survey of its members. The responses from the 16,734 participants show that many experience stressful everyday lives. Only one in three doctors state that they manage to do their job within their working hours. One in four does not even have time for direct patient work.
The more pressure the staff is under, the greater the risk that they will miss things. The pressured work situation has an impact on healthcare, says Elin Karlsson at the Swedish Medical Association.
Reported deficiencies
At the end of November, the Swedish Work Environment Authority sounded the alarm about shortages in emergency hospitals and primary care. 80 percent of the country's emergency hospitals do not comply with the law on preventing unhealthy workloads among healthcare personnel.
Among emergency room doctors, eight out of ten say they don't have enough breaks. Among general practitioners, many don't have time to do administrative work during their working hours. The results consistently show that women are more stressed than men.
Many healthcare professionals are very loyal; they skip breaks and work overtime for the sake of patients. We see a deterioration in the work environment year after year, says Elin Karlsson.
Proper mapping
Previous research has shown a connection between the work environment of healthcare professionals and risks to patients. The survey also shows that among doctors who do not have time to take breaks, a high proportion would not recommend that a relative seek care at their own workplace.
The Medical Association now wants to see a proper mapping of working hours.
"Many people work overtime without reporting it anywhere. We don't think the regions and employers are taking their responsibility. In order to have high-quality care, the situation must change," she says.
