Psychiatrists in New Zealand: are they burning out, satisfied at work and, in any case, who cares?

Objective: To explore possible contributing or mitigating factors for burnout in New Zealand psychiatrists as well as future research directions in this area.

Method: A selective review of the literature pertaining to burnout and reports regarding New Zealand's medical workforce.

Results: Possible factors contributing to burnout in New Zealand psychiatrists include rapid changes in the country's health system, the challenge of recruiting and retaining psychiatrists, poor distribution of staff and funds and difficulties in psychiatric training.