Should doctors work at the weekend?

[smilersarah 10]

they didnt spent all that money and time to be a doctor . so they can have no time to enjoy with families on weekends. name another profession thats is highly skill and need to work weekends/ nights.

 

oh sorry does that not apply to hospital doctors, surgeons and consultants???

[jfish1936 10]

In my first job, at the City (Northern) General Hospital, I was told "This unit cares for its patients 7 days a week, 24 hrs a day"

In Australian Family Practice, our provision of one doctor on duty for the weekend (I.e. A partner in the practice, not a locum or a radio service) with a Saturday 0800 to 1300 open surgery, and a Sunday 0900 to 1000 - or longer if needed, satisfied many patients, and I think was responsible for our practice's growth. Mind you, this was on a fee-for-service basis, largely on the schedule of fee refunds to the patient from our Medicare system.

I quit in 2002, being 67 years old and no longer physically fit to keep going.

 

To have a hospital working 168 hours per week at full capacity would need time allotted for places to be cleaned, and maintenance done, e.g. in operating theatres.

No reason there shouldn't be 3 8-hr shifts for almost all staff. This might be impossible for those specialising in certain procedures (the rupturing abdominal aortic aneurysm comes to mind) which occur at odd intervals and absolutely cannot wait, but need a surgeon regularly practicing them .

 

The staffing bill would be high, but we would save on overhead.

 

Are there enough qualified staff available?

[Magilla 510]

no of course i dont never said i did;)

 

Then what, exactly, are you trying to say?

 

oh i work smarter thanks but sometimes it takes 7 days and the rest of the month off:cool:

 

So you were lying when you said:-

 

i work 7 days most weeks in one way or another!

 

always smiling lifes too short:P

 

Lol.. yeah, right.

Edited July 16, 2015 by Magilla

[JFKvsNixon 11]

You're missing the point. Businesses do what their customers demand, not the other way around.

 

That's fine, but I'm not sure that you're quite right though. I struggled to find a HSBC bank that had counter services to dispense cash that was open past 17:00 in Sheffield.

 

Back on topic, so how would a business find a way to cover a 40% increase in their workload? Maybe by cutting the service they give across the board?

[crazybaby 10]

Is he calling for all doctors to work weekends or just to have coverage in hospitals in case of emergency on a rota system or something? Is it just Consultants ?

[Eric Arthur 10]

That's fine, but I'm not sure that you're quite right though. I struggled to find a HSBC bank that had counter services to dispense cash that was open past 17:00 in Sheffield.

 

Back on topic, so how would a business find a way to cover a 40% increase in their workload? Maybe by cutting the service they give across the board?

 

People don't often get to choose when they need a doctor.

 

You can nip into any branch of HSBC anywhere around the UK during opening hours they are open Saturdays to help you kill time until you can see a doctor on Monday. Unless you die in the meantime.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

Is he calling for all doctors to work weekends or just to have coverage in hospitals in case of emergency on a rota system or something? Is it just Consultants ?

 

He can't be calling for that, because this is what already happens.

[Bargepole23 337]

ok most people i know work 6 and 7 days from time to time and i dont see anything wrong with it.

 

I do, five days is plenty, too much in fact. Work should be a means to an end. If you want to spend extra hours at work then that's your choice, but you're only here once....that's my way of thinking anyway.

 

I don't know anybody who works more than 5 days.

 

Do you think on your deathbed you'll be thinking "I'm glad I spent all those extra hours grafting rather than stuff I enjoy doing"?

[crazybaby 10]

He can't be calling for that, because this is what already happens.

 

Do they work a full shift or are they just on call? or is it just that he wants the ones that are opting out of doing it to take their turn and maybe work a weekend shift every few weeks

[JFKvsNixon 11]

People don't often get to choose when they need a doctor.

 

You can nip into any branch of HSBC anywhere around the UK during opening hours they are open Saturdays to help you kill time until you can see a doctor on Monday. Unless you die in the meantime.

 

There are plenty of doctors working for the NHS providing emergency treatment over the weekend, so your comparison doesn't really work.

[L00b 441]

You're missing the point. Businesses do what their customers demand, not the other way around.

False analogy: where else are you going to take your 'business', if you don't like what service you're getting from your local NHS?

 

You could always vote with your wallet. As in, take it out and go private?

[Eric Arthur 10]

I don't understand your point LOOB

 

There are plenty of doctors working for the NHS providing emergency treatment over the weekend, so your comparison doesn't really work.

 

"15% more likely to die at the weekend"

 

Aren't they very good doctors on Saturday and Sunday?