Sir, – I wish to clarify that the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) limits shifts to 13 hours, not 24, as stated in your report (“Legal case likely over doctors’ hours”, Home News, February 8th).
As has been recently highlighted in the media, non-consultant hospital doctors frequently work shifts in excess of 30 hours. Cognisant of our economic situation and the seismic shift that would need to take place in Irish hospitals to achieve full EWTD compliance, the “24 hours is enough” campaign is seeking to limit doctors’ maximum shift length to 24 hours as a workable, immediately-implementable compromise.
This would have an immediate benefit from the point of view of both patient safety and doctors’ physical and mental health. However, it remains well short of what has been the HSE’s legal obligation since August 1st, 2004. – Yours, etc,