News

48hour-week

Thursday, 05 August 2010 09:55 | Written by Rose Smith |

The Telegraph reports that the Royal College of Surgeons has carried out an analysis of the effect of the EU's 48-hour week on NHS waiting lists.

The analysis shows that thousands more patients are now waiting longer than 18 weeks for surgery. Waiting times had been dropping since the 1990s but the EU Working Time Directive's rules limiting junior doctors to a 48-hour week, implemented last August, has reversed the trend.

The proportion of NHS patients having to wait longer than the 18-week target for non-emergency surgery such as hip replacements had almost doubled from 1.5 % 18 months ago to nearly three % in March this year.

Royal College of Surgeons President John Black said, " If you have the same number of patients, no more doctors and ask them to work less then it is inevitable that the time available for elective procedures will reduce and waiting lists grow."

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: " On the European Working Time Directive, the Health Secretary will support the Business Secretary in future negotiations on its revision, including maintenance of the opt-out. "

Telegraph Express Mail Open Europe research

EU redraws mail map

Wednesday, 04 August 2010 18:22 | Written by Rose Smith |

County names no longer required by Royal Mail.

This is of corse only part of the story

The EU runs this country now and several years ago broke the UK into regions, and at the same time abolished all our counties.

Whilst they were at it, they also abolished `England` which is why Wales, Scotland and N. Ireland all have their own governments and England does not.

They have even renumbered most of our main roads to link up with European routes, Just look at any new map for confirmation.

John Lee Baxter

Dorset

Last Updated (Wednesday, 04 August 2010 18:32)

So much for Tory promises on EU

Wednesday, 04 August 2010 18:00 | Written by Rose Smith |

Euro police knocking on your door. Surgery halted by the 48-hour week. So much for Tory promises on the EU

Big doubts about the Big Society

Wednesday, 04 August 2010 15:17 | Written by Rose Smith |

OPINION: Big doubts about the Big Society

Rural expert Gordon Morris has big doubts about the Prime Minister's drive for a "Big Society".
David Cameron's drive to hand back more power to local communities sounds like it has grand intentions.
But rural people have been running their own community-owned pubs, shops, broadband projects and housing schemes for years.
Read more...

The EWTD Could Kill You

Monday, 02 August 2010 19:21 | Written by Alec Yates |

There is a chilling story in the Daily Telegraph today regarding the European Working Time Directive and it's effect in our hospitals. As a senior doctor says:

'In the middle of the operation, my colleague said he had to go – it was his home time'. Senior doctor Tony Strong, 37, works an 80-hour week, despite a recent European ruling that it should be no more than 48. In this diary, he exposes why the rules are bad for doctors and patients alike.

'If I had to give one piece of advice to any patient worried about going under the knife in a UK hospital, I'd advise them to check when their surgeon started their specialist training'.

Read the full story HERE

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