Equivalent of 330 doctors missing in battle to be ready for working time directive
March 22, 2009 10:07 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats
Ross Finnie MSP, Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson, has revealed that
with only five months until all junior doctors must work no more than 48
hours per week only 57% of doctors meet that standard. This means that
Scotland has the equivalent of 330 doctors missing in battle to be ready
for the working time directive.
In answers to a series of Parliamentary Questions, it was revealed that
2000 junior doctors still work up to the 56 hour limit.
Commenting, Mr Finnie said:
"Health boards have had eight years to prepare for the introduction of a
48 hour week. Now, with only five months to go, just over half of
Scotland's junior doctors have had their hours reduced.
"The depth of complacency shown by the Health Secretary is staggering.
Inventing a range of wheezes like, for example, creating non-medical roles
cannot fill the void that will undoubtedly be left.
"A shortfall of 16,000 hours, the equivalent of 330 full time doctors,
must be met if the same service level is to be provided come August this
year.
"We have spent the time and money training Scots to become world class
physicians. Many have been forced to move abroad to find work in recent
years. They must find it depressing to find that if Health Boards had
their act together they needn't have emigrated. It is sheer lunacy."
Ends
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