Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Head To Head

Can doctors be trained in a 48 hour working week?

BMJ 2014; 349 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g7323 (Published 10 December 2014) Cite this as: BMJ 2014;349:g7323

Rapid Response:

As a consultant surgeon the answer is a resounding NO. Clearly some specialties can exist on minimal training but in Surgery it is dangerous to pursue a minimal training programme.ln order to see the progression of a clinical problem trainees need to observe the clinical progress of a patient .Knowing when not to intervene 'masterly inactivity' comes with clinical experience which cannot be obtained in a 48 hr week.A generation of drs with minimal experience is now a dangerous reality

Competing interests: No competing interests

12 December 2014
Brian Newman
consultant surgeon
Newlands medical centre.Bolton lancs