To quit rather than stop caring?

[CoffeeDependentCat]

I work as an NHS medical consultant. The department I work in needs 8 of us to run. There are 5 of us, and one is going to leave as has a found a job abroad that pays significantly better. We cannot recruit as no one wants to join a department that is short staffed, in an unpopular location.

The specialty requires 24/7 consultant cover due to its nature, and somehow we are currently providing this on 5 of us. I have no idea how we can continue this when down to 4.

I am continually adding extra patients to my clinics/lists (so starting early/finishing late) as when I become aware of really serious diagnosis I cannot bare to leave them waiting for the months our urgent wait times are. But now it’s reaching the point that even by consistently doing 25% more than I am supposed to I can’t keep up with the ultra urgent demand.

I am also increasingly unable to work consistently ‘above and beyond’ and remain unruffled by patients getting angry with me about things beyond my control, or telling me how much better things are when they went privately. I get people’s frustrations, but am finding it increasingly hard to cope with - it is making me feel like I should stop trying and just do my job, since that is what these patients are implying is all I am doing anyway.

As I look around people I’ve known for years have either quit altogether , moved abroad or have stopped caring. I don’t want to do 2 or 3 so am increasingly wondering how long I can hold on, for the sake of my patients who aren’t accusing me of being lazy and ‘so much more shit than the private consultant’.

I guess my AIBU is it is better to quit the NHS than stop caring?

And my secondary AIBU would be to be frustrated that there is no way to incentivize jobs in more difficult hospitals to attract workers to them

Do what’s best for you.

Never be loyal to a job, a company (even if it’s the NHS) or a manager.

They don’t care about your welfare, so why should you care about theirs.

Could you quit and then do locum sessions in various hospitals? Is changing location an option for you?

I am an NHS consultant, but I’m in London and I expect it is a bit easier to recruit here. Your situation sounds horrendous, especially needing 24/7 cover.

Could you move to a purely community-based clinic role? Take on a management role instead (I have always avoided this..)?

Hello I'm also an NHS consultant. The system feels absolutely broken and it's incredibly frustrating knowing that despite best efforts we can't deliver the care we want to for our patients.

Remember there is a middle ground between quitting and continuing to overwork as you currently are. You have to set your own boundaries as to what you're prepared to do, others won't do this for you. How on earth are you providing 24 hour cover with 5 of you??

I know you feel like you're letting patients and colleagues down if you cut back a bit, but much less than if you quit or go off sick with burnout for 6-9 months. You need to protect your own wellbeing.

All the best and look after yourself.

Always do what is best for you. I think it's really shit that patients tell you it's better in the private sector. Of course it is. There's less patients! Duh!! That's so rude.

I would quit. Stopping caring in the NHS would absolutely break you. You can't just switch it off after so many years, and so you are continually and actively making the effort to 'not care', which would likely be the straw that breaks the camels back. Do not sacrifice your wellbeing.

Definitely prioritise yourself.
I’m an ENP and have been working in ED for years but as of this month I have decided to work in an MIU, because working in ED was like running through treacle whilst putting a fire out with a thimble.
(I was already working across sites so know the MIU I’ll be working in anyway)
and when I informed my line manager of my decision they didn’t even respond to the email!
what I mean to say is that whilst individual members of the team will miss you, the organisation as a whole just regards us as (sometimes) replaceable numbers.
don't burn yourself out or end up with compassion fatigue for a job you have worked so hard to achieve.
look for something less stressful or go to locum shifts etc and prioritise your needs before the NHS completely ruins your ability to do your job without your mental health suffering.

You don't say what speciality you are but can you pressure management to cancel all routine work or ship work out? Any chance of locum cover?