tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661337961858411173.post685868841431501053..comments2023-06-02T09:11:57.051+01:00Comments on doctor zorro: Working Time DirectiveDoctor Zorrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02066781456935894741noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661337961858411173.post-18636267981077506922010-08-24T11:26:36.071+01:002010-08-24T11:26:36.071+01:00Agreed. But what I don't understand is why the...Agreed. But what I don't understand is why the will is apparently lacking. <br /><br />After all, chaos in clinic is also harmful to the patients who are disrupted and delayed as a result, with implications for clinical outcomes. The RCSEng lists "audits about the process of care" as core information for revalidation, so the topic is given prominence within the profession. Moreover, as you indicate, the problems could be solved unilaterally by each consultant, without needing permission or money from managers or anyone else.<br /><br />Are consultants simply fed up with being badgered by managers over the years about outpatient management, and therefore passively resist the whole subject? Is it because rigorous science, which doctors are accustomed to in medicine, has previously been lacking in this area? Or is it something deeper?Rob Findlayhttp://blog.nhsgooroo.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661337961858411173.post-73937730711686977692010-08-23T18:10:32.562+01:002010-08-23T18:10:32.562+01:00These problems are nothing new and long predate th...These problems are nothing new and long predate the WTD. Why is it any more acceptable to waste trainees time or saddle them with over-runs if their working hours are longer. Bearing in mind how little time off they had in the past I would say that is worse.<br />Also these problems are not insurmountable or even difficult to solve. All that is required is the will.Doctor Zorrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02066781456935894741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4661337961858411173.post-2776429144340597262010-08-23T13:48:50.702+01:002010-08-23T13:48:50.702+01:00The 48 hours that trainees get may be better-fille...The 48 hours that trainees get may be better-filled these days, but there is still a long way to go. <br /><br />Take outpatients. Practice varies from hospital to hospital (and consultant to consultant), but outpatient clinics are overbooked / underbooked / booked by clinic not by doctor / booked without holding any slots back for urgent referrals / not cancelled when annual leave has been granted / etc / etc. <br /><br />This chaos has many consequences for both doctors and patients, of course. On the EWTD it means that trainees are sometimes left twiddling their thumbs mid-clinic, or regular clinic over-runs mean that something else cannot be squeezed into the 48 hours, or both.<br /><br />If the 48 hours are so precious, how come this hasn't been sorted out long ago? (Perhaps it has, where you work...?)Rob Findlayhttp://blog.nhsgooroo.co.uk/noreply@blogger.com