Junior doctors exhausted by 100 hour weeks

Patients in NHS hospitals may be having their health put at risk because junior doctors are working up to 100 hours per week, a new study suggests.

The General Medical Council (GMC) report suggests many trainee doctors are "tired and stressed" because they are often working double the legal limit of 48 hours per week.

There are currently 55,000 junior doctors in the NHS and many hospitals are using them to cover staffing shortages, providing care without the supervision they should be subject to.

Some of those polled as part of the investigation said regulations have helped to reduce the number of hours they complete, but have led to an increase in shift work - leaving many feeling fatigued.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the GMC, said: "It is clear the current system is not working as it should - in some cases doctors are still too tired and there are issues around continuity and training opportunities."

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