Working week limit threatens English hospitals
Hospitals may struggle with the 48-hour working week limit
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Thursday, 20, Nov 2008 12:10
Over half of English hospitals are not ready to implement the 48-hour working week deadline due next year, it has been claimed.
Research by the Royal College’s of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and Surgeons (RCS) suggests only forty-nine per cent of anesthetic and 42 per cent of surgical rotas are in compliance to meet the European Working Time Directive (WTD) deadline.
Eighteen per cent of trusts said their surgery staff will meet the target and 33 per cent of anaesthetists will comply with the WTD.
"This is a ticking time bomb. Its essential we get a thorough assessment to see what the scale of this problem really is," said Liberal Democrat health spokesmen Norman Lamb.
"Ministers must bring forward plans to ensure that we don't end up in a crisis next August."
Surgeons and anaesthetists are scarce and medical centres are short-staffed for coverage of the new hours.
Hospital funding is also running low, with less than 15 per cent having set budgets in agreement to meet the August deadline. Patient's safety and medical training might also be compromised due to the lack of funding.
"The report highlights some of the challenges trusts face in complying with WTD 2009, but it also show that the challenges can be and have been met, " said Sue Dean, director of the workforce projects team.
"If there is one lesson to be drawn from the data presented in this report it is that getting working hours down while offering proper, safe patient care and retaining medical training is not straightforward and takes time," Royal College of Surgeons president John Black added.