Doctor overtime raises concerns of patient risk

A study which found that some junior doctors work more than 70 hours a week has raised concerns about fatigue-related errors harming patients.

More than half of those who replied to the Massey University survey of junior doctors reported working an average of 50 hours to 70 hours in each of the preceding two weeks and one in seven worked more than 70 hours a week.

Junior doctors' union general secretary Deborah Powell said yesterday: "Research in Australia has identified that anyone who has been awake 16 hours is performing on those two key criteria at about the same level as someone who is legally too drunk to drive."

Most junior doctors regularly work 16-hour shifts.

Dr Powell said yesterday the current collective agreement permitted a maximum of 72 hours a week, reducing to 60 by the time it expires next January.

Sixty was acceptable, but the maximum would go lower under changes the union was seeking to reduce the number of consecutive working days or nights.

Reductions in night work and the long weeks had been proven successful in trials at two district health boards and the union now wanted similar rosters introduced at the other 19.

In Britain, doctors' maximum hours have come down to 56 a week, and will drop to 48.

Waitemata Health Board chief Dwayne Crombie said average junior doctor hours were 55 a week. The maximum of 72 hours was probably breached sometimes, but boards tried not to because of the risks to patients and the extra payments under the collective agreement.