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Fears that reducing junior doctors working hours will compromise patient care

Continuity of care for patients, the quality of training for doctors and the efficiency of hospitals could be compromised when junior doctors hours have to be reduced further next year to meet the requirements of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), according to the Royal College of Physicians’s Lead on EWTD Professor Roy Pounder.

From August 2009, implementation of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), will prevent junior doctors from working more that 48 hours per week. The standard working week for junior doctors in the United Kingdom is 56 hours per week.

According to Professor Roy Pounder, of the Royal College of Physicians, this measure could compromise patient care. "One less day in hospital every week means it will be virtually impossible for a junior doctor to watch and learn about the progress of an illness".

The difficulties of moving from the current 56 to 48 hours per week are highlighted in the latest edition of Clinical Medicine, published by the Royal College of Physicians.

For further information please click here

For further information

- Junior doctors working hours: the challenge ahead
- Clinical Medicine,
- Royal College of Physicians
-  Doctor hour cuts ’will harm care’

EPHA related articles

- **UPDATED** Revision of the European Working Time Directive
- New ECJ judgement: emergency workers cannot exceed 48 hour working week
- All time spent by a doctor on call in a hospital constitutes working time

Last modified on May 6 2008.

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