The effect of the EWTD on surgical SpRs: a regional survey

2008 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Grover ◽  
M Gatt ◽  
J MacFie

The implementation of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) has changed the way surgical training is delivered in the European Union. The Jaeger ruling by the European Court of Justice states that health service employers must guarantee an 11-hour rest period within any 24-hour time period, while the SiMAP ruling has enshrined the concept of all time spent at work being classified as working time. To comply with these rulings, as of August 2004 most NHS Trusts across the UK have implemented shift systems for junior doctors. Numerous factors influence an individual's ability to adapt to working shifts and this has major implications both for patients and for surgical trainees.

2006 ◽  
Vol 88 (6) ◽  
pp. 206-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
BM Frost ◽  
C Beaton ◽  
AN Hopper ◽  
MR Stephens ◽  
WG Lewis

The European Working Time Directive (EWTD) represents the latest challenge to surgical training in the UK, following Calmanisation and the implementation of the New Deal on junior doctors' hours. Compliance with the EWTD in the UK demands shift working patterns and as such it has received a mixed response from the UK medical profession. While physicians in training are relatively content with the regulations of the EWTD, surgical trainees have voiced concerns regarding the potential impact of an altered working week on their clinical experience and training as well as quality of life.


2009 ◽  
Vol 91 (8) ◽  
pp. 258-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Black

The ill-judged introduction of the 48-hour week demanded by the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) was the first news item on every television and radio programme on Saturday 1 August, indicating just how successful the College has been in raising public concern. It was encouraging that the British Medical Association (BMA) speakers were for the first time expressing serious anxiety, largely about the effects on training and about pressure being put on junior doctors to falsify their hours returns. All conversions to the cause are welcome, however late in the day. It is disappointing that the BMA is not yet stressing the dangers to patients, which they are surely hearing about from their members working in the acute specialties.


2006 ◽  
Vol 88 (9) ◽  
pp. 318-319
Author(s):  
MBS Brewster ◽  
R Potter ◽  
D Power ◽  
V Rajaratnam ◽  
PB Pynsent

For the last few years all the hospitals in the UK have been changing junior doctors' rotas to become compliant with the European Working Time Directive (EWTD). The first stage, requiring a junior doctor to work a maximum of 58 hours per week averaged over a 6-month period, became law in August 2004. In addition to new posts for junior doctors there have been schemes to facilitate the transition, such as the Hospital at Night programme. This was designed to use the minimum safe number of doctors from appropriate specialties with supporting medical staff to cover the hospital out of hours. It was required to make the most efficient use of this team and allow the junior doctor rotas to be compliant with the appointment of as few new posts as possible.


2008 ◽  
Vol 90 (7) ◽  
pp. 245-245
Author(s):  
Vishy Mahadevan

Four major new initiatives being implemented nationally are set to have a considerable impact on the nature of surgical training in the UK. When fully operational, these developments will alter the face of surgical training: the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), Modernising Medical Careers (MMC), the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP) and the new MRCS examination.


2007 ◽  
Vol 121 (12) ◽  
pp. 1194-1196 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Murphy ◽  
J T Murphy ◽  
A Sama

AbstractThe implementation of the European Working Time Directive, from the Council of the European Union (93/104/EC), in August 2004 has provoked a change in the working hours of junior doctors in the United Kingdom. With the evolution of the subsequent cross-cover arrangements combined with the modernising of medical careers, training is becoming increasingly important. Here we present a simple method of teaching junior doctors the skills and competencies required to aspirate a peritonsillar abscess or ‘quinsy’. The model is easy to construct, low cost and reusable.


2008 ◽  
Vol 90 (8) ◽  
pp. 282-283
Author(s):  
G Reddy-Kolanu ◽  
M Ethunandan ◽  
R Anand ◽  
V Ilankovan

The European Working Time Directive (EWTD) has required all departments to re think staffing arrangements to provide out-of-hours ser vices. Large departments with man y junior doctors can continue to have oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) SHOs covering the out-of-hours ser vice without exceeding the constraints of EWTD. For smaller departments the choice has been either to close the on-call service and centralise it in a larger department or to have a specialty cross-cover arrangement. The problems of cross-cover might be more apparent in OMFS than in other hospital specialties due to other medical staff possessing a negligible knowledge of dental pathology.


2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (9) ◽  
pp. 286-289
Author(s):  
Farshad Shaddel ◽  
Subimal Banerjee

Aims and methodTo assess the views of trainees and trainers of the impact of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD). The study was conducted in two stages. First, a qualitative survey of trainees and trainers in the Oxford Deanery was carried out on the positive and negative aspects of the EWTD to identify key areas. Second, a self-completed questionnaire was developed separately for trainees and trainers and the results collated. Twenty trainers and nineteen trainees took part in the study.ResultsAbout 70% of trainees and trainers were aware of the EWTD objectives. Ninety per cent of trainers and 30% of trainees believed that the introduction of the EWTD was a negative development. Compared with 42% of trainees, 80% of trainers believed that the EWTD had not improved the quality of care and instead had a negative effect on doctor–patient alliance and continuity of care. Although 53% of trainees believed that the quality of training was not compromised by the introduction of the EWTD, 84% of trainers thought otherwise. Less hands-on experience and some doctors' roles being given to other professionals were the most stated negative impacts of the EWTD on the quality of doctors' training. Positive effects of the EWTD from both trainees' and trainers' points of view were a better work-life balance and less burnout for junior doctors.Clinical implicationsThe EWTD may not have been successful in achieving all of its intended objectives. Further studies on different sample groups would help clarify the wider impact of the EWTD.


2009 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 132-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryckie G Wade ◽  
James Henderson

Doctors have historically worked long hours to provide patient care but also to gain experience. Over the last decade, working hours have decreased significantly, and the introduction of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) has formalised this. In August 2009, junior doctors (but not consultants) will be limited to a 48-hour working week (see http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyourorganisation/Huma nresourcesandtraining/Modernisingworkforceplanninghome/Europeanworkingtimedirective/index.htm). There are concerns at all levels of the profession that doctors will not be adequately trained to function at the standard of a current NHS consultant. Doctors with the least experience make the most errors and familiarity with situations and equipment is directly related to competency.


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