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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 6th OCTOBER 2009
Question
Will the Minister advise whether staffing shortages in many areas in the hospital have resulted in some professionals working in excess of 100 hours per week, and confirm whether staff have been suspended following errors made through tiredness and stress resulting from such excessive workloads?
Will the Minister further confirm whether an excessive workload recently contributed to the resignation of an anaesthetist from the service?
What steps, if any, will the Minister be taking to reduce the reliance on a culture of working long-hours to maintain hospital services and what consideration, if any, will be given to adopting the European Working Time Directive?"
Answer
I have no evidence of staffing shortages in the hospital resulting in professionals working in excess of 100 hours per week.
I can confirm that no staff have been suspended following errors made through tiredness or stress resulting from excessive workloads.
I can confirm that an anaesthetist has recently resigned from Health and Social Services. However this resignation is for entirely personal reasons and the anaesthetist is embarrassed that there has been any suggestion of excessive workload being involved.
I have been successful in obtaining some extra funding to support the nursing and medical requirements, as identified in the recent Nursing Review and Medical Manpower Plan. This additional funding will support sustainable working patterns into the future.
All work rotas are compliant with the Jersey Employment Law and all trainee doctors' rotas are compliant with the revised European Working Time Directive which is 48 hours per week (as from 1st September 2009).
There is currently no consideration being given to adopting the revised European Working Time Directive for other grades of Medical Staff.
There is no legal obligation for the European Working Time Directive to be implemented for groups other than trainee doctors.
The Sustainable Hospital Project is however, examining the suitability and sustainability of all rotas within the Hospital service.