Non-medical tasks take up junior doctors’ time
A study of junior doctors’ working patterns at nine hospitals around the country found less than half their time on duty (48%) comprised patient care, and 35% was spent interacting with others.
It said the five tasks that took up more than half their time (56%) were:
* Reviewing a patient who had already been reviewed by a doctor (21.9%).
* Giving advice to another clinician (9.6%).
* Responding to pagers (9.2%).
* Performing a minor procedure (8.1%).
* Seeking advice (6.7%).
The majority of doctors (79%) considered their tasks appropriate for them.
The study also found that only 0.3% of the tasks analysed involved formal teaching or training activity.
IMO industrial relations director Fintan Hourihan noted the extent to which junior doctors are required to carry out inappropriate activities, and the fact that such a small part of NCHD work involved education and training.
The report summarises an analysis of tasks undertaken by non-consultant (junior) hospital doctors (NCHDs) in nine hospital sites over a period of two weeks in March-April 2005.
The Hospital Activity Analysis, carried out by York Health Economics Consortium, was undertaken to help ascertain how current working patterns could be changed in order to facilitate shorter working hours for junior doctors in accordance with the European Working Time Directive (EWTD).
The EWTD requires junior doctors to work no more than 58 hours from August 1 this year and no more than 48 from August 1 2009. It has yet to be implemented on the ground.
A total of 49,069 tasks were recorded by medical students shadowing junior doctors in 43 specialities and sub-specialities.
The sites studied were Letterkenny General Hospital; the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar; St Loman’s Psychiatric Hospital, Mullingar; the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick; the Galway Regional Hospitals; Cork University Hospital; St James’ Hospital, Dublin; Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin; and The National Maternity Hospital, Holles St, Dublin.
The report was launched at a conference yesterday held under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission, which is working with the Irish Medical Organisation and Health Service Executive on implementing the EWTD.
