Burnout in diabetes and endocrinology specialist registrars across England, Scotland and Wales in the pre-COVID era.

BACKGROUND: Presence of either emotional exhaustion, depersonalization or lack of personal accomplishment define Burnout Syndrome which may lead to decreased workforce productivity, increased absenteeism, depression and medical errors as well as decreased patient satisfaction. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of burnout syndrome among Diabetes Specialist Registrars across England, Scotland and Wales and to identify any self-reported factors which may be contributory to burnout. METHODS: Over 430 Diabetes Specialist Registrars were invited to anonymously participate in an electronic survey which used Maslach Burnout Inventory and selfreporting questionnaire to identify burnout and contributory factors. RESULTS: In this pre-pandemic times study, Burnout was identified in 61 (57.5%; n = 106) respondents using Maslach burnout cut-off scores. 45.2% (48/106) participants had scored high in Emotional Exhaustion, while lack of personal accomplishment and depersonalization was seen in 24.5% (26/106) and 21.6% (23/106) of the respondents respectively. The commonest self-reported stressors by participants were "General Internal Medicine workload" 60.4% (64/106) followed by "Lack of specialty training" 36.8% (39/106) and "Lack of audit/research/Continuing Professional Development time" 10.8% (11/106) CONCLUSION: Burnout syndrome is frequent among the participating Diabetes Specialist Registrars and urgent steps may be required address this problem nationally to ensure that these physicians remain physically and mentally healthy, especially after the pandemic.

Managing People with Diabetes Fasting for Ramadan During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A South Asian Health Foundation Update.

The month of Ramadan forms one of the five pillars of the Muslim faith. Adult Muslims are obligated to keep daily fasts from dawn to sunset, with exceptions. This year Ramadan is due to begin on 23 April 2020 and the longest fast in the UK will be approximately 18 hours in length. In addition, due to the often high-calorie meals eaten to break the fast, Ramadan should be seen as a cycle of fasting and feasting. Ramadan fasting can impact those with diabetes, increasing the risk of hypoglycaemia, hyperglycaemia and dehydration. This year, Ramadan will occur during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Reports show that diabetes appears to be a risk factor for more severe disease with COVID-19. In addition, the UK experience has shown diabetes and COVID-19 is associated with dehydration, starvation ketosis, diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state. This makes fasting in Ramadan particularly challenging for those Muslims with diabetes. Here, we discuss the implications of fasting in Ramadan during the COVID-19 pandemic and make recommendations for those with diabetes who wish to fast.