§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he plans to introduce to ensure safe standards of care when increasing numbers of trainee doctors move to shifts. [46829]
§ Mr. HuttonShifts are an established mode of working for doctors in training and recommended rest requirements already exceed those of the European Working Time Directive. Weekly hours of work and maximum shift lengths are currently subject to limits agreed with the British Medical Association, and these too will be subject to the further limitations of the Working Time Directive from August 2004.
Recent figures show that trainee doctors working full shifts are more likely to meet the rest requirements than those undertaking other patterns of work.