EU directive to mean changes in surgeons' training here

There will have to be significant changes to the training of surgeons as the European Working Time Directive continues to reduce their working hours, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) said yesterday.

Many surgical trainees work more than 70 hours per week but under the new directive, surgical trainees will be limited to 58 hours work per week by this August. The hours will be further reduced to 48 by 2009.

These limitations on working hours mean that trainees will have less time to learn skills and consultants will also be constrained in the time they have to work with trainees. Currently, it could take up to 10 years to train as a surgeon after internship, and the vast majority of this time is spent in a hospital setting.

Prof Frank Keane, chairman of the RCSI's college committee, said new teaching methods were needed as well as a change in the mindset of both the trainees and the trainers.

He also called for a "significant" increase in Department of Health funding for surgical education, as well as an increase in the numbers of doctors in higher surgical training.

The RCSI recently set up a committee to look at the learning opportunities for trainee surgeons within restricted hours.

Its report yesterday recommended that basic skills should be acquired outside clinical settings.