The state of medical education and practice in the UK Barometer survey 2025

Published 13 August 2026

Why we commissioned this research:

Every year we report on, The state of medical education and practice in the UK. We use our data, wider research evidence, and analysis to provide comprehensive insight into the profession.

The Barometer survey is one of the key sources of evidence that underpins our report. The survey runs annually and seeks to gain evidence of how doctors’ experiences of practising in the UK are changing. This informs our work to support doctors and address the challenges and pressures they are encountering.

What did the research involve?

The survey, as in previous years, covered doctors’ satisfaction in their working lives, career intentions over the next year, experiences in the workplace, and adaptations to pressurised environments.

4,606 doctors currently working in the UK completed the survey between 3 September–13 October 2025. To make sure findings are representative of all licensed doctors, weighting was applied using GMC population data on age, ethnicity, registration, and place of primary medical qualification.

Key findings:

  • There was a slight decline across several areas of doctors’ experiences this year, reversing some improvements seen in the 2024 survey. The proportion of doctors satisfied with their day-to-day work decreased (55% vs. 59% in 2024), and the proportion at a high risk of burnout increased slightly (20% vs. 18% in 2024). Bringing these measures back in line with 2023 levels. 
  • Whilst there was a slight increase in the proportion of doctors who felt unable to cope with their workload on a weekly basis (36% vs. 33% in 2024), there was no change in the proportion of doctors reporting working beyond their rostered hours at least once a week (61%), suggesting the decline in doctors’ experiences seen this year may be being driven by something other than increased working hours. 
  • There was a decrease in the proportion of doctors who said they felt supported by non-clinical management (38% vs. 42% in 2024), as well as a slight decrease in the proportion of doctors who felt that they are part of a supportive team (71% vs. 73% in 2024).
  • Lack of progression and development opportunities emerged as a key theme this year, which could be influencing overall satisfaction. In 2025, there was a reduction in the proportion of doctors who agreed that they can progress their career in the way they want (36% vs. 39% in 2024), and more doctors mentioned “Lack of career development or opportunities for progression” as a reason for why they were dissatisfied, or as a reason for considering a move abroad. Locally employed doctors (particularly those who have been qualified for 5 years or less) stood out most as experiencing challenges related to career progression and development.
  • Doctors continue to face similar challenges in relation to patient care. In line with previous years, two in five (41%) doctors found it difficult to provide a patient with the sufficient level of care they need on at least a weekly basis. While a new survey question revalued that just one in five (20%) doctors agreed that there is effective coordination of patient care between primary and secondary care (among GPs, only 12% agreed with this statement). 
  • A quarter of doctors (26%) reported that there had been workplace changes in the last year that improved their ability to provide good patient care. Among doctors who identified positive changes, improvements were described across four key themes: staffing and workforce planning; staff culture, wellbeing and support; administrative processes or systems, and new technologies. 
  • In 2025, there was an increase in the proportion of doctors who suggested leaving the UK profession was the career change they were most likely to make in the next year (22% vs. 19% in 2024). Driving this was an increase in the proportion of doctors who suggested that moving to practise abroad was the change they were most likely to make (15% vs. 12% in 2024).

Full report