EWTD Implementation Survey
EWTD Survey - Preliminary Findings
The results of our post-implementation survey reveal growing alarm amongst junior doctors over the impact of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) on surgical training and patient safety.
Over 1,600 surgeons-in-training from all specialties responded to a survey by the Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT) and the British Orthopaedic Trainee Association (BOTA).
Over two-thirds of trainees reported deterioration in their surgical training since EWTD implementation in August, with only 1% of respondents experiencing any improvement.
67% of surgical trainees are attending work while off-duty to protect their training and gain adequate experience operating. These additional unregulated hours are likely to exceed the limits set down by the EWTD.
Other key findings include:
- 84% of surgical trainees are working in excess of their rostered hours to maintain the quality of the service provided and ensure patient care is unaffected.
- 48% have no specific time allocated in their rota for dedicated handover of patient care, contrary to professional guidelines, with over 74% of respondents handing over care to other surgical teams 2 or more times during each 24 hour period.
- 17% of trainees were aware of formally reported adverse critical incidents, using established hospital reporting systems, directly arising from reduced working hours or increased frequency of handovers associated with EWTD implementation.
- 67% of surgeons-in-training plan to opt-out of the EWTD; 15% of trainees have already done so; however 10% have been prevented from doing so by their NHS Trust.
- 86% of surgical trainees working an EWTD compliant rota have seen their work life balance deteriorate or remain unchanged with the theoretical reduction in working hours.
Click here to download the press release in full.
Press Coverage
This release was picked up in the Telegraph newspaper with the full article at the link below:
Furthermore the results were also identified in a wider-ranging Guardian article following the release of the recent NCEPOD report update which highlighted deficiencies due to reduced working hours:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/nov/05/nhs-confidential-patient-care-study
ASiT has also previously made a public case for our objection to the EWTD through a letter in the Times newspaper during the summer:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article6789149.ece
Other coverage includes:
MPS: http://www.medicalprotection.org/uk/latest-news/surgical-training-deteriorates-under-ewtd
NHS 24/7: http://nhs247.com/news/article.asp?CategoryId=17&ArticleId=3052
Hospital Dr: http://www.hospitaldr.co.uk/blogs/our-news/evidence-mounts-of-deteriorating-care-and-training-under-wtd
Doctors.net: http://www.doctors.net.uk/news/Article.aspx?newsid=9907
For additional commentry on the findings, Hospital Dr also published the accompaying invited editorial: http://www.hospitaldr.co.uk/blogs/dr-blogs/surgical-trainees-between-a-rock-and-hard-place
Related documents
You will need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files.
EWTD Guide for Surgical Trainees
You may also find it useful to refer to our EWTD Guide for Surgical Trainees, which can be downloaded below.
Related documents
You will need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view PDF files.
Added on: 7th September 2009