Health Minister Reba Meagher told Parliament this week that doctors at Mona Vale Hospital were regularly forced to work 14-hour shifts on weekends.

The Health Minister confirmed that:

“Weekend day shifts at Mona Vale are routinely covered using (a) 14 hour shift from 8:00am to 10:00pm with the doctors working a one weekend in seven roster pattern”.

These revelations follow research conducted by the Australian Medical Association in 2006 which discovered close to two-thirds of hospital doctors were at significant or high risk of fatigue due to long unbroken shifts and excessive working hours.[1][1]

“I am concerned that forcing doctors to work 14 hours’ straight is simply unsafe – for doctors and their patients”, Rob Stokes said today.

Australian research indicates that forcing doctors to work “up to 14 consecutive hours in any one period” may present a “significant risk” for doctors and their patients.[2][2]

“There are clear links between forcing doctors to work long shifts and medical risks to patients, as well as fatigue related risks for doctors.

“European law mandates that junior doctors are limited to a shift of no more than 13 hours followed by a break of at least 11 hours[3][3], yet doctors at Mona Vale are forced to work 14 hours straight over busy weekend periods.

“I call on Northern Sydney Central Area Health Service to give local doctors a break and develop a roster that ensures reasonable working hours for doctors at Mona Vale Hospital”, Rob Stokes concluded.

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[2][2] Australian Medical Association, National Code of Practice - Hours of Work, Shiftwork and Rostering for Hospital Doctors (1999) at http://www.ama.com.au/web.nsf/doc/WEEN-6V76DZ/$file/National_Code_of_Practice_January_2005.pdf 14 – 15.

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[3][3] Council Directive 93/104/EC. Official Journal of the European Community 1993;L307: 18-24.

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