Doctor hours deadline looms

HEALTH employers face hefty fines if they fail to scale back junior doctors’ working hours in compliance with the European Working Time Directive (EWTD).

Those in breach of the EWTD will be hit with a €1,500 fine for a first offence and €500 for each subsequent offence.

Andrew Condon, assistant principal officer in the acute hospitals division of the Department of Health, said the €500 fines would be charged on a daily basis if employers continued to offend.