Almost half of trainee doctors working longer hours were involved in adverse events

The Medical Council survey found that trainee doctors who worked shorter hours were involved in fewer adverse events.  Stock picture: Pexels

A Medical Council survey has found that just under half of trainee doctors who work more than 59 hours a week have been involved in an “adverse event”.

This is an event that leads to an undesired patient outcome that may or may not be the result of an error, or is an incident which resulted in harm to the patient.

In contrast, the survey in the report — Your Training Counts 2019-2020 — found that those who worked less hours were involved in less adverse events.

Long working hours

The survey found that 51.7% of respondents reported working in excess of 48 hours in 2019, while 46.2% reported the same in 2020.

Jantze Cotter highlighted the concern of the Medical Council about 'a significant number of trainees reporting working more than 60 hours a week ... in contravention of the European Working Time Directive'. Picture: Maxwells

Some 44.9% of those working in excess of 59 hours per week were involved in an adverse event — but, in contrast, 9.5% of respondents who worked 39 hours or less a week were involved in an adverse event.

Overall, 70% of trainee specialists self-reported a good or better quality of life, and nine out of 10 trainee specialists felt physically safe in the hospital environment.

However, 30.6% said their organisation showed very little concern for them and 32.8% of trainees reported experiencing bullying.

Some 11.7% of respondents reported that it was their intention to practise medicine abroad and not return to Ireland while 86.5% expressed an intention to either remain or return to Ireland after a period abroad.

Working Time Directive 

Jantze Cotter, director of professional competence, research and ethics with the Medical Council said: “The issues raised by trainees are of serious concern to the Medical Council as they can potentially adversely impact patient safety.

“Although there are some positive findings and areas which there has been improvement in recent years, the Council is concerned about a number of issues, many which have been repeatedly highlighted in both our own and other research.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

“Issues do remain, and among them working hours continue to be a cause for concern, with a significant number of trainees reporting working more than 60 hours a week. “This is in contravention of the European Working Time Directive, and a key issue leading to burnout, and increased risk of involvement in adverse events.”