Junior docs get 26-hour shift
Junior doctors will no longer work 30-hour shifts - 26 hours is to become the new norm...
© Luis Louro – 123RF.com
But the council has not specified when the new shift system will start.
It will apply to junior doctors for the first five years of work, including the community service period.
The decision is a victory for the Safe Working Hours Campaign, which has campaigned for the shift limit to be lowered.
The campaign gained momentum after the death of junior doctor Ilne Makwat, who crashed her car after a 30-hour shift.
Doctors allege fatigue caused her to fall asleep at the wheel.
"The situation is tricky because there is a shortage of doctors so they cannot cut shifts to 16 hours," explained Zahid Badroodien, spokesman for the Junior Doctors' Association of SA.
Dr Alastair McAlpine, at Cape Town Red Cross Children's Hospital, called the reduction a "good start".
"The data are clear that cognitive decline is serious after 16 hours," he said.
Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge
Source: I-Net Bridge
For more than two decades, I-Net Bridge has been one of South Africa’s preferred electronic providers of innovative solutions, data of the highest calibre, reliable platforms and excellent supporting systems. Our products include workstations, web applications and data feeds packaged with in-depth news and powerful analytical tools empowering clients to make meaningful decisions.
We pride ourselves on our wide variety of in-house skills, encompassing multiple platforms and applications. These skills enable us to not only function as a first class facility, but also design, implement and support all our client needs at a level that confirms I-Net Bridge a leader in its field.
Go to: http://www.inet.co.za
