Staffing Gaps Are Putting Pressure On Doctors To Work Unpaid, BMA Says, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 03 Mar 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Junior doctors and consultants across the UK are being pressured to work extra hours without pay, because of gaps in their rotas, the BMA says.

Commenting on a report in the Health Service Journal, which says NHS trusts are struggling to fill junior doctor posts, Mr Ram Moorthy, chairman of the BMA Junior Doctors Committee, says:

"The BMA has had reports from junior doctors across the country that rotas are operating below full strength. They're being pressured to work extra hours, often unpaid, to fill the gaps, and consultants are also taking on additional workload.

"The problem is largely the result of the uncertainty created by the botched application process last year. Junior doctors are very cautious about gambling with their careers by taking on short-term posts. On top of that, the new recruitment process is very inflexible - in the past it was much easier for doctors to switch between specialties and regions."

http://www.bma.org.uk