Implementation of the European working time directive in an NHS trust: impact on patient care and junior doctor welfare

To comply with the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), from 1 August 2009, junior doctors are required to work no more than 48 hours per week. In accor- dance with this, East Sussex Hospitals Trust introduced changes to working practice in August 2007. To assess the impact upon patient care and junior doctor welfare a retro- spective observational survey comparing data from the year prior to and the year following August 2007 was con- ducted. No impact on the standard of patient care, as mea- sured by length of stay, death during admission or readmis- sion was found. However, there was a notable increase in episodes of sick leave among junior doctors. Implementation of the EWTD may maintain standards of patient care but may be detrimental to the welfare of doc- tors in training.