‘Doctors’ training hours do not count as work’

Junior hospital doctors’ training hours do not need to be counted as working hours, the European Court of Justice has ruled, in an unexpected result.

In this, they agreed with the Government and the standard contract agreement the HSE signed three years ago with the Irish Medical Organisation.

The court also ruled the minimum daily and weekly rest periods and total length of the working week for doctors is the law under the Working Time Directive, even though the details are not included in the employment contract for non-consultant hospital doctors.