11.10.13
Working Time Directive to be reviewed
The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) will chair an independent review of the implementation of the Working Time Directive, health secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced.
It follows concerns that the Directive is negatively affecting staff, and potentially risking patient care. The taskforce will focus on how to ensure continuity of patient care and opportunities for training under the directive, and will report in 2014 with practical recommendations for improving doctors’ contracts.
Hunt said: “No-one wants to go back to the bad old days of tired doctors working excessive hours, but when senior clinicians tell us this directive’s implementation is harming patient safety and doctors’ training, it’s right that we take another look at it.
“This independent review by clinicians for clinicians will give us a sensible, frontline view on the working hours of British hospital doctors.”
Professor Norman Williams, president, Royal College of Surgeons said: “This is a vital piece of work and I am pleased to be chairing this taskforce.
“There is a need for a deeper examination of the evidence on the impact and implementation of the reduced working hours on the delivery of care and training of doctors; the formation of this group will allow this.
“We will then produce expert advice and practical solutions to the Secretary of State with the aim of improving patient care.”
Dean Royles, chief executive of NHS Employers and the NHS Confederation, said: “It's vital that this issue has a strong input from employers, who have to comply with these regulations. We will be emphasising the role of good workforce planning and sensible rules in making the working time directive manageable. NHS Employers and the NHS Confederation very much welcome the opportunity to contribute.
“The NHS and its patients need health professionals whose wellbeing is supported and who can operate in challenging circumstances. We want our staff alert so that patient safety is paramount, so the debate must focus on how to get the best care from appropriate working hours.”
The taskforce will include representatives from:
Royal College of Surgeons (RCS)
British Medical Association (BMA)
Royal College of Physicians (RCP)
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
Foundation Trust Network (FTN)
NHS Confederation
NHS Employers
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH)
Health Education England (HEE)
Academy of Medical Royal College Lay Advisory Group
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges Trainee Doctors’ Group
Association of Surgeons in Training
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