Medical students support patient safe rosters

Medical students support patient safe rosters

The New Zealand Medical Students’ Association (NZMSA) supports resident doctors in their call for safer working rosters.

Currently resident doctors may work up to 12 days or 7 nights consecutively without a break. It is widely known working long hours like these increase the rate of errors when doctors care for patients, and this is supported by the recent survey from the union for resident doctors (Resident Doctors Association; RDA).

“Medical students want to become effective doctors that provide quality care for New Zealanders. We want working hours that will allow us to practise safely and minimise risk to our patients and our personal wellbeing,” says NZMSA President Mike Fleete.

The RDA is proposing safer working rosters of 10 consecutive days or 4 consecutive nights.

“These proposed changes are a positive step to creating safer hospitals in New Zealand. This is necessary if we want to improve the healthcare New Zealanders receive, and also protect our doctors from burnout.”

The NZMSA commends DHBs that have already acted on these suggestions and calls on all others to step up for patient safety.

ENDS

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