Intended for healthcare professionals

Personal Views

Liberation on the night shift

BMJ 1995; 311 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.311.7004.575 (Published 26 August 1995) Cite this as: BMJ 1995;311:575
  1. David Evan Morris, general practitioner in Connah's Quay
  1. Clwyd

    Iam a general practitioner. This time last year I felt crushed and bitter with on call commitments. I bored anyone who would listen--and many who would not--with the fact that for the foreseeable future I was doomed to duty from 6 pm until 9 am every fifth evening and night of my working life and for every fourth weekend I would have to work a 48 hour continuous shift. This meant 78 nights each year when deep sleep could elude me because of the loaded bleep pointed at my head. But things have changed and I quite enjoy my night work now.

    What happened? About 30 local general practitioners have formed a cooperative for emergency duty, covering midnight to 7 am. I now work one overnight shift each month when …

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