Working Time Directive

HC Deb 12 February 2004 vol 417 c1700W

Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the implications of the Working Time Directive for the work of general practitioners in the Chorley South Ribble Primary Care Trust. [153488]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The Working Time Directive (WTD) is an integral part of modernising and improving services at all levels. The majority of general practitioners are self employed and as such are not covered by the WTD.

Of the smaller number of GPs, those who are fully qualified have been covered by the WTD since 1998, along with other national health service staff. It is the responsibility of primary care trusts to monitor the hours worked by those GPs in their employment. This information is not collected centrally.