Statement – Healing hands, hurting minds

Copenhagen, 10 October 2025

Good morning.

Europe's health systems are under threat - and mental health is at the heart of the crisis.

The largest mental health survey of its kind shows that the people who care for us, our doctors and nurses, are working in conditions that are actively harming their mental health.

The landmark survey of the Mental Health of Nurses and Doctors - or MeND for short - was conducted by WHO/Europe with support from the European Commission.

We gathered and analysed over 90 000 responses from 29 countries, including all 27 European Union members, plus Iceland and Norway. The message from the front lines of health care is clear: Europe faces a mounting health workforce emergency which can no longer be ignored.

Let's take a closer look.

The findings are stark and frankly, unacceptable.

A staggering 1 in 3 doctors and 1 in 4 nurses are grappling with symptoms of depression or anxiety.

Doctors and nurses are five times as likely as the general population to experience symptoms of depression (32% vs 6%).

Beyond the daily struggle, there is a much darker reality:

1 in 10 doctors and nurses report thoughts of being better off dead or harming themselves. Let that sink in.

We know these types of passive suicidal thoughts can predict future suicidal behaviour.

The prevalence of suicidal thoughts among doctors and nurses is double that of the general population.

In the past year, 10% report exposure to physical violence and sexual harassment while 1 in 3 doctors and nurses were exposed to bullying or violent threats at work.

Critically, workers exposed to violence, harassment and bullying report up to double the prevalence of mental health difficulties compared to the general population.

Meanwhile, nearly a third (32%) of doctors and a quarter (25%) of nurses are on temporary employment contracts, a factor strongly linked to increased anxiety about job security.

Excessive workloads and harmful conditions aren't helping.

One in 4 doctors works over 50 hours per week. Longer hours and more frequent night shifts increase the risk of mental health difficulties.

Between 11 and 34% of health workers said they were thinking about leaving their jobs.

This comes as Europe already faces a projected shortage of 940 000 health workers by 2030.

We simply cannot afford to lose them to burnout, despair or violence.

The consequences of this crisis extend far beyond the individual.

This is a health security crisis jeopardizing the functioning of our health systems.

Supporting the mental health of our health workers is not just the right thing to do; it is essential for the future of health care in Europe.

WHO/Europe is outlining urgent policy actions that can be implemented right now to change organizational cultures and improve working conditions, even without additional resources.

These actions include:

1. Enforcing a zero-tolerance approach to violence of any kind, including bullying and harassment, in health-care workplaces.
2. Making sure shifts are flexible and predictable, so that doctors and nurses can have a healthy work-life balance.
3. Ending the culture of "work till exhaustion".
4. Managing heavy workloads with smart recruitments, long-term workforce planning, and better use of digital tools and AI.
5. Training and holding health leaders accountable for their workplace culture and employee well-being.
6. Expanding access to confidential, stigma-free mental health support available and accessible to all workers.
7. Conducting regular monitoring and reporting of health worker well-being, just like we already do for hospital capacity or surgical outcomes.

Now, I'd like to end on a positive note.

Our survey also showed that despite the many difficulties they face, our health workers are driven by a profound sense of duty, showing up for their patients every single day.

Three out of 4 doctors and 2 out of 3 nurses expressed a strong sense of purpose in their work. They are passionate and motivated, but they need tailored support to do their jobs effectively and with compassion.

The resilience of our health systems is only as good as the resilience of the women and men who dedicate their lives to caring for all of us.

Let this survey be the alarm we can no longer ignore.

A profession chosen with humanity and purpose should never demand the sacrifice of health and dignity.

The future of care in the European Region depends on the well-being of its workforce.

Protecting them is protecting every patient, every family, every community.

Thank you.