Vol. 513 No. 4
163 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, he is taking to bring the working times of non-consultant hospital doctors down to an appropriate and safe level in view of the recent crisis in the acute hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2688/00]
The issue of the working hours of junior hospital doctors is being looked into by my Department and I hope it will be possible to progressively reduce them to a more acceptable level.
The standard working week of non-consultant hospital doctors is 39 hours. However, as part of an agreement with the Irish Medical Organisation, NCHDs may be rostered for duty up to a maximum average of 65 hours per week. I should point out that NCHDs working hours include the standard working day, time spent on call and time spent working while on call. I do not dispute the fact that much of this time is actually spent working. NCHDs are the backbone of the hospital medical staffing structure and make a tremendous contribution to the provision of hospital care.
The working hours of junior hospital doctors are currently the subject of discussion at European level in the context of proposals by the European Commission to bring junior doctors, and other groups excluded from the 1993 Working Time Directive within the scope of that directive.
As part of our preparations for the implementation of a 48 hour working week for junior doctors, it has been agreed with the Irish Medical Organisation to undertake a study of hospital doctors' working hours. A firm of management consultants has just been appointed to conduct this study at eight hospitals. It is hoped to have a report from the consultants by the end of May. Hopefully this study will provide us with a sound factual basis for embarking on a progressive reduction of hospital doctors' working hours.
