Junior Doctors Hours - Medical Workforce Planning
Working Time Directive (WTD) 2009
Maximum Working Week
The Working Time Directive (WTD) became law in the UK
in 1998 and is intended to limit the number of hours worked by employees. Junior doctors were excluded from the directive until 2004; we are now in the second phase, which started in August 2007 and requires a maximum working week of 56 hours.
In the third and final phase, starting in August 2009, the maximum working week will be 48 hours.
For junior doctors the reference period over which weekly hours of work are calculated is 26 weeks.
WTD and Rest
- 11 hours rest in every 24-hour period
- break of 24 hours in each 7-day period or a break of 48 hours in every 14-day period; it is generally accepted that the 11 hours rest mentioned above should be added to this
- minimum 20 minute break after 6 hours work.
SiMAP and Jaeger Judgements
For information on these landmark rulings regarding residency and compensatory rest respectively please click on the relevant links on the right.
WTD 2009 in the Yorkshire Deanery Area: Key Points
- 47% of junior doctors are compliant with the 48-hour target of WTD 2009
- there is a large variation between Trusts (between 23% and 84% for acute Trusts and between 28% and 100% for non-acute Trusts)
- there are only two more changeovers before August 2009
- for more information go to the latest Junior Doctors Hours Report