Healthcare

Healthcare workers face unique challenges, including elevated injury risk, absenteeism, burnout, and mental distress compared to other industries. In South Australia, healthcare professionals often experience heightened stress levels and struggle to achieve a healthy work-life balance due to the demands of their work. This strain has been compounded by systemic pressures such as an ageing population and increasing care complexities, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The repercussions of these challenges extend beyond individual wellbeing, influencing workforce attrition, increased healthcare costs, and diminished care quality (Safe Work Australia, 2023).

Injury data: Understanding the impact

Healthcare is one of the highest-risk sectors for work-related injuries. In South Australia:

Common Injury Types: Musculoskeletal injuries (35%), traumatic injuries (27%), and mental health conditions (13%) are most prevalent.
Injury Mechanisms: Body stressing (41%), falls, trips, and slips (18%), and mental stress (13%) are the primary causes.

Source: South Australia Public Sector Safety, Wellbeing and Injury Management Performance Reports (FY 2022-23)

Common hazards and risks: The everyday realities

Healthcare workers encounter a range of hazards that significantly impact their physical and mental wellbeing.

Physically demanding tasks: Healthcare roles often involve repetitive manual handling, such as lifting or transferring patients, leading to musculoskeletal disorders and acute strain injuries. These risks can be heightened by time pressures and inadequate ergonomics.
Long and unpredictable work hours: Irregular and extended shifts contribute to sleep deprivation, fatigue, and difficulty maintaining a work-life balance. This combination increases the risk of accidents, errors, and burnout and is associated with the onset of chronic health conditions and adverse health events.^{1, 2}
Emotional and psychological strain: Providing care in high-stakes environments and supporting distressed patients and families often results in emotional fatigue, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress. Workplace aggression, including verbal or physical harassment, also contributes to the psychological toll (Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 2023. Healthcare Workers and Work Stress). The recent People Matters Experience Survey (external site) (PDF) (external site) (PDF) (external site) (PDF) revealed that 24% of respondents has experienced violence and aggression.
Exposure to biological, chemical, and environmental hazards: Healthcare workers face exposure to infectious diseases like SARS-CoV-2, hazardous medications, and radiological tools such as X-rays. Without strict safety measures, these hazards can lead to serious long-term health conditions. ³
High administrative burden: Balancing clinical responsibilities with heavy documentation and compliance requirements can cause significant mental stress. This burden often reduces job satisfaction and limits the time available for patient care.
Bullying and harassment: Prevalence of bullying and harassment in healthcare varies widely, however the recent People Matters Employee Survey for SA Health (external site) (PDF) (external site) (PDF) (external site) (PDF) revealed that 32% of respondents had witnessed bullying or harassment and 20% had experienced it. Experience is often related to Healthcare’s deeply hierarchical structure, as well as gender, race and power imbalances. Misconduct often goes unreported because of a fear of repercussions and damage to career progression and can result in workers having a high intention to leave the sector. ⁴ (external sit (external site) (external site) (external site)

Sources:

1. Long working hours and risk of 50 health conditions and mortality outcomes: a multicohort study in four European countries (external site) (external site) (external site)
2. The Impact of Shift Work on Sleep, Alertness and Performance in Healthcare Workers (external site) (external site) (external site)
3. Health problems in healthcare workers: A review (external site) (external site) (external site)
4. The prevalence and impact of unprofessional behaviour among hospital workers: a survey in seven Australian hospitals (external site) (external site) (external site)

Health data and risk factors: The hidden health crisis

Healthcare workers are at significant risk for health challenges such as:

Metabolic syndrome and obesity, contributing to chronic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
Elevated rates of suicide, substance misuse, and work-related mental illness. ^{5, 6, 7, 8}