A relatively small increase in the number of patients with physical multimorbidities can dramatically increase a GP’s risk of burnout, a study suggests.

Researchers reviewed the clinical complexity in the patient cohorts of 3300 GPs while measuring each doctor’s health and wellbeing.

Some 10% were found to have full burnout syndrome — defined as high emotional exhaustion, high emotional detachment from patients and low perceived value of their work, measured via the Maslach Burnout Inventory.

But significantly, if the proportion of patients with physical multimorbidities went from 4% to 5% of a GP’s patient mix, the GP’s likelihood of burnout rose by 80%.