Latest news with #patient safety
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Almost a quarter of doctors in Ireland work more than European limit
The regulator for the medical profession in Ireland has raised concerns about patient safety and doctor wellbeing after new data found almost a quarter of doctors report working more than European limits. The Medical Council today publishes its 2024 annual workforce intelligence report, which found there were 20,962 clinically active doctors working in the State last year. According to the report, almost a quarter of doctors (23.1 per cent) self-reported working more than 48 hours on average per week, in contravention of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD). The EWTD seeks to safeguard the health and safety of workers by setting minimum standards for working hours and rest periods across the European Union. READ MORE The disciplines most likely to indicate working more than 48 hours a week were surgery (50.9 per cent) and obstetrics and gynaecology (34.9 per cent). Among doctors who reported working more than 48 hours per week, 45.6 per cent also reported working in direct patient care for more than 48 hours per week. The report said this 'raises concerns in relation to doctor wellbeing and patient safety, as excessive work hours are demonstrably associated with attrition, stress, burnout and are predictive of adverse event involvement'. For the first time, doctors were also asked about their views of patient care and safety. Just over one quarter (26.1 per cent) reported experiencing difficulty providing a patient with sufficient care at least once a week or more frequently, while slightly more than one-third (33.6 per cent) reported never experiencing difficulty. 'Pressure on workloads' was the most commonly cited barrier to providing sufficient patient care, with 73 per cent of doctors reporting this. It was followed by 'time spent on bureaucracy/administration', at 55.1 per cent, and 'delays to providing care, treatment and screening', at 46.1 per cent. According to an analysis of the medical register, the mean age of doctors was 43.7, with one in five aged 55 or older. The highest number of clinically active doctors was concentrated in disciplines of general practice (25.9 per cent) and medicine (23.4 per cent), followed by surgery (11.9 per cent). The report also highlighted a continued reliance on international doctors, who now account for 27.8 per cent of the workforce. The most common country of qualification for international graduates was Pakistan, accounting for 39.7 per cent of the international graduate cohort, followed by Sudan at 21.3 per cent. Last year, 1,632 doctors left the Medical Council's medical register. The majority of these were voluntary withdrawals. Of the doctors who voluntarily withdrew from the register, 58.8 per cent (603) said they wanted to practise medicine in another country, while a further 14.5 per cent (149) said they wished to stop practising medicine.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Health
- Bloomberg
FDA Says Sarepta Can Treat Ambulatory Patients With Gene Therapy
In a major win for Sarepta Therapeutics Inc., US regulators are recommending that patients who can walk be allowed to take its gene therapy Elevidys again. In a statement Monday, the regulator said that it had concluded that the death of an 8-year-old in Brazil was not related to the therapy.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Hospitals make record number of requests for doctors to work during strikes, claims union
Hospitals made a record number of requests for striking doctors to return to the wards this weekend as a five-day walkout prompted safety fears for patient safety, the British Medical Association has claimed. The BMA said hospitals had asked for more than 125 resident doctors to come off the picket lines during the walkout. The union has claimed some of those pleas were made inappropriately and had to be refused, while those that had been granted had to be revoked. It also said there had been incidents where patient safety was at risk due to trusts not having enough staff to cover emergency care. Resident doctors are taking part in a strike over pay, which began on Friday, 25 July and will end at 7am on Wednesday. The BMA's resident doctors committee has asked the government for a 29 per cent pay increase to address what it says has been a more than 20 per cent erosion of their pay since 2008. However, talks between doctors and health secretary Wes Streeting broke down last week and failed to avert strike action. Last week, NHS England chiefs told hospital leaders they must maintain elective care during the strikes, whereas during previous rounds, widespread cancellations took place. During strikes, employers can request 'derogations', in which a union can grant permission for a doctor or multiple doctors to come into work on strike days. NHS England's figures as of Monday show 58 requests for 'derogations' had been made, eight had been approved, 23 had been declined, 15 had been withdrawn, and some are still pending a decision. There has so far been a record number of approvals compared to previous strike rounds, according to NHS data. An NHS England spokesperson said: "The NHS is continuing to work hard to maintain more services than in previous rounds of industrial action, and early indications show the plan is working with the vast majority of planned care going ahead. 'Derogation requests for resident doctors to work in exceptional circumstances are being made by the most senior clinical teams on the ground, and delays or refusals by the British Medical Association questions their integrity and risks patient safety." Over the weekend, the BMA claimed one hospital, in Sheffield, had asked for resident doctors to come in as its consultants were not able to use the trust's new electronic records system. The union also posted on X, claiming it had agreed to let a doctor return to work within the obstetric department at Queens Medical Centre, run by Nottingham University Hospitals Trust. Other trusts cited by the union include Lewisham and St George's Hospitals in London. In a message to resident doctors on Sunday, the BMA resident doctors' committee said: 'This dispute had exposed a small number of trusts where they have planned as if strikes were not even happening. We have received a record number of derogation requests this set of strikes. This is because NHS England has issued instructions to Trusts to try to keep elective activity open, despite our warnings of the risks to patient safety.' The message claimed the BMA has received 47 derogation requests from NHS England and that these contained requests for 125 resident doctors to return to work to cover gaps. Following requests, the BMA said it had granted 16 doctors permission to go back to work. It said the trusts where derogations were revoked were either 'misinformed about their staffing, or deliberately misled' the BMA. Other 'inappropriate' derogations the BMA said it had been asked for included where trusts planned for a full rota of resident doctors, and then were 'caught out when resident doctors went on strike'. Multiple trusts had 'prioritised elective activity over the safety of more urgent patients', the BMA claimed. It said due to 'poor timing of requests', there have been instances where patients' safety has been at risk, 'with not enough doctors to ensure emergency care,' which has led to 'last-minute' requests for doctors. Ahead of the strikes, the BMA was criticised for advising resident doctors against informing their employers of their plans to strike. In a rare intervention, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges published a statement to the BMA warning that this would risk patient safety.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Hospitals make record number of requests for doctors to work during strikes, claims union
Hospitals made a record number of requests for striking doctors to return to the wards this weekend as a five-day walkout prompted safety fears for patient safety, the British Medical Association has claimed. The BMA said hospitals had asked for more than 125 resident doctors to come off the picket lines during the walkout. The union has claimed some of those pleas were made inappropriately and had to be refused, while those that had been granted had to be revoked. It also said there had been incidents where patient safety was at risk due to trusts not having enough staff to cover emergency care. Resident doctors are taking part in a strike over pay, which began on Friday, 25 July and will end at 7am on Wednesday. The BMA's resident doctors committee has asked the government for a 29 per cent pay increase to address what it says has been a more than 20 per cent erosion of their pay since 2008. However, talks between doctors and health secretary Wes Streeting broke down last week and failed to avert strike action. Last week, NHS England chiefs told hospital leaders they must maintain elective care during the strikes, whereas during previous rounds, widespread cancellations took place. During strikes, employers can request 'derogations', in which a union can grant permission for a doctor or multiple doctors to come into work on strike days. NHS England's figures as of Monday show 58 requests for 'derogations' had been made, eight had been approved, 23 had been declined, 15 had been withdrawn, and some are still pending a decision. There has so far been a record number of approvals compared to previous strike rounds, according to NHS data. Over the weekend, the BMA claimed one hospital, in Sheffield, had asked for resident doctors to come in as its consultants were not able to use the trust's new electronic records system. The union also posted on X, claiming it had agreed to let a doctor return to work within the obstetric department at Queens Medical Centre, run by Nottingham University Hospitals Trust. Other trusts cited by the union include Lewisham and St George's Hospitals in London. In a message to resident doctors on Sunday, the BMA resident doctors' committee said: 'This dispute had exposed a small number of trusts where they have planned as if strikes were not even happening. We have received a record number of derogation requests this set of strikes. This is because NHS England has issued instructions to Trusts to try to keep elective activity open, despite our warnings of the risks to patient safety.' The message claimed the BMA has received 47 derogation requests from NHS England and that these contained requests for 125 resident doctors to return to work to cover gaps. Following requests, the BMA said it had granted 16 doctors permission to go back to work. It said the trusts where derogations were revoked were either 'misinformed about their staffing, or deliberately misled' the BMA. Other 'inappropriate' derogations the BMA said it had been asked for included where trusts planned for a full rota of resident doctors, and then were 'caught out when resident doctors went on strike'. Multiple trusts had 'prioritised elective activity over the safety of more urgent patients', the BMA claimed. It said due to 'poor timing of requests' there have been instances where patients' safety has been at risk, 'with not enough doctors to ensure emergency care,' which has led to 'last-minute' requests for doctors. Ahead of the strikes, the BMA was criticised for advising resident doctors against informing their employers of their plans to strike. In a rare intervention, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges published a statement to the BMA warning that this would risk patient safety. An NHS England spokesperson said: "The NHS is continuing to work hard to maintain more services than in previous rounds of industrial action, and early indications show the plan is working with the vast majority of planned care going ahead. 'Derogation requests for resident doctors to work in exceptional circumstances are being made by the most senior clinical teams on the ground, and delays or refusals by the British Medical Association questions their integrity and risks patient safety." Solve the daily Crossword
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Hospitals make record number of requests for doctors to work during strikes, claims union
Hospitals made a record number of requests for striking doctors to return to the wards this weekend as a five-day walkout prompted safety fears for patient safety, the British Medical Association has claimed. The BMA said hospitals had asked for more than 125 resident doctors to come off the picket lines during the walkout. The union has claimed some of those pleas were made inappropriately and had to be refused, while those that had been granted had to be revoked. It also said there had been incidents where patient safety was at risk due to trusts not having enough staff to cover emergency care. Resident doctors are taking part in a strike over pay, which began on Friday, 25 July and will end at 7am on Wednesday. The BMA's resident doctors committee has asked the government for a 29 per cent pay increase to address what it says has been a more than 20 per cent erosion of their pay since 2008. However, talks between doctors and health secretary Wes Streeting broke down last week and failed to avert strike action. Last week, NHS England chiefs told hospital leaders they must maintain elective care during the strikes, whereas during previous rounds, widespread cancellations took place. During strikes, employers can request 'derogations', in which a union can grant permission for a doctor or multiple doctors to come into work on strike days. NHS England's figures as of Monday show 58 requests for 'derogations' had been made, eight had been approved, 23 had been declined, 15 had been withdrawn, and some are still pending a decision. There has so far been a record number of approvals compared to previous strike rounds, according to NHS data. Over the weekend, the BMA claimed one hospital, in Sheffield, had asked for resident doctors to come in as its consultants were not able to use the trust's new electronic records system. The union also posted on X, claiming it had agreed to let a doctor return to work within the obstetric department at Queens Medical Centre, run by Nottingham University Hospitals Trust. Other trusts cited by the union include Lewisham and St George's Hospitals in London. In a message to resident doctors on Sunday, the BMA resident doctors' committee said: 'This dispute had exposed a small number of trusts where they have planned as if strikes were not even happening. We have received a record number of derogation requests this set of strikes. This is because NHS England has issued instructions to Trusts to try to keep elective activity open, despite our warnings of the risks to patient safety.' The message claimed the BMA has received 47 derogation requests from NHS England and that these contained requests for 125 resident doctors to return to work to cover gaps. Following requests, the BMA said it had granted 16 doctors permission to go back to work. It said the trusts where derogations were revoked were either 'misinformed about their staffing, or deliberately misled' the BMA. Other 'inappropriate' derogations the BMA said it had been asked for included where trusts planned for a full rota of resident doctors, and then were 'caught out when resident doctors went on strike'. Multiple trusts had 'prioritised elective activity over the safety of more urgent patients', the BMA claimed. It said due to 'poor timing of requests' there have been instances where patients' safety has been at risk, 'with not enough doctors to ensure emergency care,' which has led to 'last-minute' requests for doctors. Ahead of the strikes, the BMA was criticised for advising resident doctors against informing their employers of their plans to strike. In a rare intervention, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges published a statement to the BMA warning that this would risk patient safety. NHS England was approached for comment.
