John,
I agree with David Watson. This legislation has real teeth and all trusts
are expected to have implemented it by now, although I suspect most haven't
yet done so. Hopefully it will be a powerful weapon and it is really
important to go along with the form-filling, even if it doesn't seem to have
much point at present.
Slainte,
Rocky.
----- Original Message -----
From: John Ryan <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 1999 12:50 PM
Subject: Re: Willies
> I am suprised no one has yet mentioned the potential problems that the EEC
> Directive on Working Time under the Working Time Regulations 1998 could
> bring. It is supposedly health and safety legislation to protect employees
> from working excessive hours. These provide for:
>
> a limit of an average of 48 hours worked per week
> a limit of 8 hours worked in every 24 hour period for night work
> a weekly rest of 24 hours every week
> an entitlement to 11 hours consecutive rest per day
> an entitlement to a minimum 20 minute rest break where the working day is
> longer than 6 hours
> a requirement on the employer to keep records of hours worked
>
> I have been asked to keep a diary by medical staffing for the next 4 weeks
> of hours worked. They say the information will be used for the purpose of
> ensuring the provisions of the Directive are implemented. Hmm, I wonder
> what they will really do, their hands are tied by financial resrtaint and
> they know full well what goes on already. The cynic would suggest this is
a
> wasteful paper exercise.
>
> The recommendations of compensatory rest entiltlement that I have to
include
> are remarkable:
>
> Add 11 hours to my compensatory rest total for each day where this has not
> been awarded
>
> Add 24 hours to my total if I do not receive 24 hours of rest in a week
> without significant interruption
>
> Add 48 hours to my total if I do not receive 48 hours of rest over 2 weeks
> without significant interruption
>
> Add 20 minutes for each 6 hour work period worked without a 20 minute
break.
>
> !!!! So now who's going to the work ? If the above was implemented I'd be
> on holiday most of the time ! Either this will get paid lip service
(which
> I suspect as this certainly is what is happening to a large extent at the
> moment or we are going to need a lot more senior A&E docs, in a hurry.)
>
>
>
>
> Dr John M Ryan
>
> Consultant & Senior Lecturer in A&E medicine
> Royal Sussex County Hospital
> Eastern Rd.
> Brighton
> BN2 5BE
> UK
>
> Ph; 00 44 1273 696955
> Fax: 00 44 1273 680627
>
> http://www.pavilion.co.uk/users/ryanj/
> http://www.rsch.org.uk/rsch/rschae.htm
>
>
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