Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Apr 1999

Vol. 503 No. 5

Written Answers. - Doctors' Working Hours.

Pat Rabbitte

Ceist:

41 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by the Irish Medical Organisation that some junior hospital doctors are working up to 115 hours per week; the steps, if any, being taken to reduce the number of hours worked in these cases in view of the risks patients may face where these long hours are worked; the action, if any, he will take over the proposed industrial action on the extended contract for the millennium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10479/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The Deputy has chosen to raise two separate issues in this question. I will deal firstly with the issue of hours for non consultant hospital doctors.

It is the function of local hospital management to agree work rotas with non consultant hospital doctors taking into account the nature of the service to be provided. The basic working week of all NCHDs is 39 hours. However, they are liable to be rostered to work up to an average of 65 hours per week. The 65 hour week was implemented in 1989 following a Labour Court recommendation and in consultation with the Medical Organisation which represents the interests of NCHDs. A mechanism has been introduced to monitor and control working hours of NCHDs as part of the revised terms and conditions of the NCHD contract of employment effective from 1 January 1997. The first stage of the mechanism, was introduced on 1 July 1995 and the complete 4 stage mechanism, to resolve any breach of the Labour Court recommendation has been in place since 1 January 1997.

I would like to inform the deputy that the EU Commission has brought forward proposals to amend the Working Time Directive (93/104/EC). Discussions are ongoing between the Commission and the member states in relation to the implementation of the Working Time Directive for "doctors in training" and other excluded groups. These discussions have underlined the complexity of the issue of excessive hours and the difficulties in implementing the Working Time Directive for this group. Arising from these discussions it is expected that EU legislation will be brought forward shortly to deal specifically with this issue.

The second issue raised relates to a proposal to extend the contracts of non consultant hospital doctors to bridge the period over Christmas 1999 and the New Year 2000. Senior health service managers have raised the question of cover over this period in light of their concerns regarding the year 2000 computer software problem. The matter has been raised with the Irish Medical Organisation by the Health Service Employers' Agency on behalf of their members. I understand that this issue is to be the subject of a meeting between the two bodies to be held next week.