Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users
to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response
is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual
response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the
browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published
online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed.
Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles.
The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being
wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our
attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not
including references and author details. We will no longer post responses
that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
PRINT VERSION IS MISSING VITAL PARTS OF THE ARGUMENT
The print version is nearly THREE paragraphs shorter than the online version. And hence is missing the important nuances of the arguments I am making.
Further, there was never any indication that the print and online versions would be different and I never signed-off on the print version.
To be clear, I fully endorse consultant-led acute services and support my colleagues awake and working in the middle of the night. My point is that they should be substantially better paid than those at home asleep.
The author's statement that consultants are paid £7.50 a hours to return to hospital out of hours is incorrect. The on call supplement to basic salary is a payment for being available on call. It is not a payment for work actually done. Time spent actually working out of hours including travelling time is included in the consultants PA allocation of their job plan and paid accordingly. Since this is generally outside core hours, the 3 hour PA will apply so a consultant will be paid 1.3 times their normal hourly rate for returning to the hospital to manage an emergency.
This does not detract from the point the author is making but explains why the salary bill for consultant presence out of hours is a substantial one.
Re: The consultant on-call system is an extravagant waste of money
PRINT VERSION IS MISSING VITAL PARTS OF THE ARGUMENT
The print version is nearly THREE paragraphs shorter than the online version. And hence is missing the important nuances of the arguments I am making.
Further, there was never any indication that the print and online versions would be different and I never signed-off on the print version.
To be clear, I fully endorse consultant-led acute services and support my colleagues awake and working in the middle of the night. My point is that they should be substantially better paid than those at home asleep.
Dr Louella Vaughan
Competing interests: No competing interests