Doctors' Working Lives News
Please note this website is not currently being updated. However please do contact me to report any amendments or broken links.
Get notified by email when I update this site?
Monday, February 13, 2006
ECJ case, poll results, and RCP night shift booklet
The ECJ is to rule on the UK's alleged breach of the EWTD. The European Commission brought a case to the ECJ in 2004 alleging that the UK's Working Time Regulations breached the EWTD in two respects: 1) the derogation of 'partly unmeasured working time' from the regulations, which theoretically allows workers to exceed 48 hours without formally opting out, and 2) the employer's responsibility to ensure rest breaks. At a glance, the second is likely to have a more potentially controversial impact, as it could lead to heavier legislation on the enforcement of rest break requirements. Watch this space.
New poll (see right): Should rest breaks be enforced by employers?
View last poll results: Are doctors paid too much? The most popular response: "No, their pay is right - the NHS should pay nurses more as well".
The RCP night shift booklet is getting lots of positive press. As mentioned in the last update, the booklet is a very nicely presented compendium of the latest research and recommendations on night work. Along with some good advice on preparatory sleep, recovery sleep, and how best to eat, drink and stay alert during the shift, there are a few issues which may spark debate (at least!):
Napping - the booklet recommends that napping should be encouraged, which has been particularly highlighted by The Lancet (registration required), BBC News Online (which also flags the risks of sleep inertia) and Medical News Today, while the call for napping was recently challenged by a consultant anaesthetist in a letter to Hospital Doctor.
Split weeks of nights - as previously mentioned, the booklet recommends a maximum of 4 night shifts in a row, a very popular view on this website. This can be very helpful, though it depends on continuity of care requirements and can be tricky on smaller rotas - but more advice is apparently to follow on this subject.
Bright lighting - a more troublesome point is the recommendation "try to make your medical area brightly illuminated". This is undoubtedly good for shift workers, but can be really miserable for patients; after all sleep deprivation is often a big problem for them too, and unlike the medics, patients who have been kept awake all night by the brightly-lit nursing station don't get much chance to sleep the next day.
Otherwise though, an excellent tool and worth distributing widely.
News
Fatigue due to long hours implicated as a factor in 2004 plane crash (Washington Post)
Child care in the NHS (BMJ Career Focus)
UK trainee doctors spurn obstetrics and gynaecology (BMJ)
Doctors with history of drug misuse will face spot checks (BMJ)
Bid to cut waiting lists has pushed safety down NHS agenda
SAS "superdocs" call for recognition (BBC News Online) - see also Hidden heroes of the NHS (BMA)
German doctors march in protest at health cuts (BMJ)
Three quarters of NHS trusts in deficit are cutting staff (BMJ)
Rheumatologists feel devalued by NHS changes (BMJ)
A group of trainee doctors are considering building their own private hospital to ensure they can practise privately following proposed changes to make the consultant contract in Ireland public-only (Irish Medical News)
Education and engagement
Competences for the foundation programme - leadership and teamwork (BMJCF)
Simulation training for PRHOs (BMJCF)
Postgraduate trainers: the new "lost tribe" (BMJCF)
Developing standards, criteria, and thresholds to assess fitness to practise (BMJ)
Commentary: Criteria, competencies, and confidence tricks (BMJ)
Very good letter in the BMJ about engaging clinicians in IT
Tips for doctors
Tips on conducting multidisciplinary meetings on rehabilitation wards or stroke units (BMJCF)
PPUD syndrome - post PLAB unemployed doctor's syndrome (BMJ)
What are the implications of withdrawing from an SHO post after accepting it? (BMJCF)
Any resident's story (CMAJ)
New ways of working
Debating health workforce innovation (MJA)
Health Workforce Innovation Conference (MJA)
Shiftwork research
Exposure to blue light can help with alertness at night (SLEEP, via NAPS)
No evidence that melatonin is effective in treating jet lag or shiftwork sleep disorder (BMJ)
Finally, it's Work Your Proper Hours Day on Friday 24th February - make sure that you plan to get out on time!
0 Comments:
New poll (see right): Should rest breaks be enforced by employers?
View last poll results: Are doctors paid too much? The most popular response: "No, their pay is right - the NHS should pay nurses more as well".
The RCP night shift booklet is getting lots of positive press. As mentioned in the last update, the booklet is a very nicely presented compendium of the latest research and recommendations on night work. Along with some good advice on preparatory sleep, recovery sleep, and how best to eat, drink and stay alert during the shift, there are a few issues which may spark debate (at least!):
Napping - the booklet recommends that napping should be encouraged, which has been particularly highlighted by The Lancet (registration required), BBC News Online (which also flags the risks of sleep inertia) and Medical News Today, while the call for napping was recently challenged by a consultant anaesthetist in a letter to Hospital Doctor.
Split weeks of nights - as previously mentioned, the booklet recommends a maximum of 4 night shifts in a row, a very popular view on this website. This can be very helpful, though it depends on continuity of care requirements and can be tricky on smaller rotas - but more advice is apparently to follow on this subject.
Bright lighting - a more troublesome point is the recommendation "try to make your medical area brightly illuminated". This is undoubtedly good for shift workers, but can be really miserable for patients; after all sleep deprivation is often a big problem for them too, and unlike the medics, patients who have been kept awake all night by the brightly-lit nursing station don't get much chance to sleep the next day.
Otherwise though, an excellent tool and worth distributing widely.
News
Fatigue due to long hours implicated as a factor in 2004 plane crash (Washington Post)
Child care in the NHS (BMJ Career Focus)
UK trainee doctors spurn obstetrics and gynaecology (BMJ)
Doctors with history of drug misuse will face spot checks (BMJ)
Bid to cut waiting lists has pushed safety down NHS agenda
SAS "superdocs" call for recognition (BBC News Online) - see also Hidden heroes of the NHS (BMA)
German doctors march in protest at health cuts (BMJ)
Three quarters of NHS trusts in deficit are cutting staff (BMJ)
Rheumatologists feel devalued by NHS changes (BMJ)
A group of trainee doctors are considering building their own private hospital to ensure they can practise privately following proposed changes to make the consultant contract in Ireland public-only (Irish Medical News)
Education and engagement
Competences for the foundation programme - leadership and teamwork (BMJCF)
Simulation training for PRHOs (BMJCF)
Postgraduate trainers: the new "lost tribe" (BMJCF)
Developing standards, criteria, and thresholds to assess fitness to practise (BMJ)
Commentary: Criteria, competencies, and confidence tricks (BMJ)
Very good letter in the BMJ about engaging clinicians in IT
Tips for doctors
Tips on conducting multidisciplinary meetings on rehabilitation wards or stroke units (BMJCF)
PPUD syndrome - post PLAB unemployed doctor's syndrome (BMJ)
What are the implications of withdrawing from an SHO post after accepting it? (BMJCF)
Any resident's story (CMAJ)
New ways of working
Debating health workforce innovation (MJA)
Health Workforce Innovation Conference (MJA)
Shiftwork research
Exposure to blue light can help with alertness at night (SLEEP, via NAPS)
No evidence that melatonin is effective in treating jet lag or shiftwork sleep disorder (BMJ)
Finally, it's Work Your Proper Hours Day on Friday 24th February - make sure that you plan to get out on time!
Get email when I update this site? Please email me directly and I will add you to the list.
This site is maintained by Ellie Pattinson. All rights reserved. This website is maintained independently of the NHS and the views expressed are not necessarily a reflection of the views of that organisation. For any queries, contributions or amendments, please email me here.
