GPs are widely suffering from mental health problems as pressure grows on the profession, according to the findings of a survey published today.

As many as 40% of doctors reported facing personal mental health problems in the survey conducted by the charity Mind. Problems included depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The survey found that just 48% of doctors would be willing to seek support from medical colleagues – although 79% said they would use the services of their personal doctor.

GP leaders blamed the high rate of mental illness on the pressure of work facing doctors in general practice.

Royal College of GPs chair Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard said: “Workload in general practice has increased by at least 16% over the last seven years, both in volume and complexity, but the share of the NHS budget our profession receives is less than it was a decade ago, and GP numbers are falling.

“The result is that highly-skilled and much-needed doctors are becoming disenchanted, exhausted, and burnt-out, with many being forced to take the drastic decision to leave the profession altogether.

“It’s a terrible irony that GPs, the gatekeepers of the NHS who spend their lives caring for others, are often suffering in silence about their mental health and don’t feel as though they’re able to reach out and ask for help.”

Dr Krishna Kasaraneni, from the GP committee of the British Medical Association, said the findings were “no surprise.”

Dr Kasaraneni said: “The BMA is calling for a properly-funded universal occupational health service, so that GPs and the wider practice staff are able to access the support they need, and in turn are better equipped to care for their patients. After all, no one wants to be treated by a sick doctor, and strains on clinicians’ mental health will only lead to more turning away from the profession.

“However, as we know with the majority of illnesses, prevention is better than cure, and therefore more must be done to tackle the root cause of anxiety and depression among GPs, by addressing the unmanageable and often unsafe workloads they face day in, day out.”

Vicki Nash, head of policy and campaigns at Mind, said: “These figures are really concerning.

“We knew from talking to primary care staff that many of them were experiencing poor mental health but hadn’t realised just how prevalent mental health problems were among GPs.”