Junior doctor hours warning

IRELAND has been told by the European Commission (EC) to end the scandal of forcing junior hospital doctors to work 36-hour shifts.

Under Irish law, there are limits to doctors’ working time, but in reality they are not enforced and non-consultant hospital doctors regularly are obliged to work more than 100 hours a week without adequate breaks for rest or sleep.

According to the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), this has contributed to an exodus of Irish medical graduates, in particular to Australia and New Zealand, where they have proper working conditions and receive good training.