Letter

European working time directive for doctors in training

BMJ 2002; 324 doi: 10.1136/bmj.324.7339.736 (Published 23 March 2002)
Cite this as: BMJ 2002;324:736

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Reduction in juniors' hours abolishes concept of continuity of care

  1. David Scott-Coombes, consultant endocrine surgeon. (David.Scott-Coombes@kcl.ac.uk)
  1. Department of Surgery, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS
  2. Department of Surgery, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS

    EDITOR—The gloating editorial by Pickersgill, the chairperson of the BMA's Junior Doctors Committee, convinces me that the BMJ is now the magazine for the coffee table of the politically active lily-livered doctors who populate the NHS.1 The smile will be wiped off Pickersgill's face if ever he is unfortunate enough to need an operation.

    The reduction in junior doctors' hours does not satisfy trainee surgeons' need for operative experience and abolishes the concept of continuity of care. All surgeons (trainees and consultants) understand that a patient deserves and requires continual care by the same firm for the duration of his or her admission. Pickersgill and others need to realise …

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