CardiovascularHealth Service Must Implement Working Time Directives, Says British Medical Association (Northern Ireland)
With the implementation of the 48-hour working week for workers throughout Europe, including doctors, on 1 August 2009, the BMA in Northern Ireland has said that it will insist that the health service must meet its obligations to implement the European Working Time Directive (EWTD).
Dr Brian Patterson, Chairman of the BMA"s Northern Ireland Council said:
"On the eve of the implementation of EWTD, we understand that approximately 80 per cent of doctors in Northern Ireland are working within the time limit of 48 working hours per week.
"While acknowledging the huge challenge that is the change required to comply with the new European Working Time Directive, employers have had ten years to prepare. Doctors are concerned that patient services could be affected in trusts that have not properly prepared for the working time directive".
Dr Patterson continued
"We continue to have grave concerns because of the gaps in local junior doctor rotas. We will insist on real compliance by employers1.
"Solutions rely on hospital managers working with doctors to ensure that doctors" time is best used and all training opportunities are maximised. It will also need a movement to a health service that is more reliant on an expanded consultant workforce, which will benefit patients and the profession as a whole".
Notes
1 A recent survey in the Health Service Journal reported that 1 in 10 had been told to lie about working hours
British Medical Association Northern Ireland