Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 30 Jun 1994

Vol. 444 No. 7

Written Answers. - Junior Hospital Doctors' Hours.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

135 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the average number of hours worked by junior hospital doctors in the major hospitals throughout the country at present; whether this is in line with standards acceptable and available elsewhere throughout the world; whether it is possible for persons working such long hours to be capable of giving of their best in life-threatening situations; the proposals, if any, he has to address the problem of excessively long working hours in this area in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

The basic working week for all non-consultant hospital doctors — NCHDs — is 39 hours. However, they are liable to be rostered to work up to an average of 65 hours per week. The 65 hour week was implemented in 1989 following a Labour Court recommendation and in consultation with the Irish Medical Organisation which represents the interests of NCHDs.

My Department, in consultation with health service management and the Irish Medical Organisation, has recently completed a study of NCHD hours in five hospitals. The report of this study is in the course of being drafted. It would be inappropriate for me to anticipate the findings of the study at this stage.

It is not easy to compare the working conditions of Irish junior hospital doctors with those prevailing elsewhere as the medical career structure and postgraduate training system in Ireland and the United Kingdom are virtually unique. However, compared to the United Kingdom, Irish NCHDs work shorter hours. NCHDs in the United Kingdom are still contracted to work up to 72 hours per week compared to 65 in Ireland.

In 1993, the Council of the European Union adopted the Directive on Working Time. The directive provides for a maximum working week of 48 hours. Among several groups excluded from the provision of the directive are "doctors in training". Therefore, NCHDs have been excluded from the directive. However, the EU Commission is at present examining the implications of applying the original directive, or a similar more specific instrument to doctors in training. My Department is participating in the design of a European-wide study to assess the implications of restricting hospital doctors' working hours.

While working long hours might be thought to have a detrimental effect on a doctor's capacity to deliver optimum care, I have to point out that under present arrangements, no distinction is made between actual time spent working and time spent "on call".