Protecting the Mental Health of Europe’s Health Workforce

This week, WHO Regional Office for Europe, with the support of the European Commission launched the Mental Health of Nurses and Doctors (MeND) Survey Report - the largest study of its kind, with over 120,000 participants from 29 countries. 

The findings are deeply concerning, revealing not isolated experiences but a systemic challenge to the wellbeing of Europe’s health professionals.

The EJD was honoured to participate in the launch of this landmark report.

In our statement, we expressed gratitude to WHO Europe and the European Commission for making this pioneering initiative possible - and underlined several key points:

• We are facing a public mental health crisis in the workforce.
• The MeND survey does more than show the state of mental health among doctors and nurses - it connects these outcomes with working conditions. This is one of its most important contributions, offering policymakers and civil society a roadmap for where interventions are most urgently needed.
• From the perspective of junior doctors, this resonates strongly. EJD will soon release our own survey on working hours across Europe, which shows an average of 57 hours per week among young doctors. Excessive working time is a systemic risk factor requiring urgent and concrete policy action.
• We also wish to highlight the intergenerational gap: junior doctors are entering the profession in increasingly adverse conditions, affecting retention, motivation, and the sustainability of healthcare systems.
• This report must not remain on the shelf. It should be brought into European, national, and local forums - to institutions, policymakers, and peers alike - to drive discussion and solutions.
• Finally, the MeND survey should become a regular monitoring tool, enabling us to track progress, assess impact, and ensure accountability for protecting the mental health of doctors and nurses.

We thank the team of WHO Europe, the European Commission, EJD members and all partners involved for this vital work - and reaffirm our commitment to supporting its dissemination and action across Europe.