NEARLY half of all junior doctors in the region are working excessive hours, according to latest figures.

Despite a decade of efforts to reduce working hours, 47 per cent of all junior doctors in the Northern and Yorkshire region are breaching the maximum 56 hours permitted.

Five out of eight English health regions have made more progress in this area than Northern and Yorkshire.

As from tomorrow it will be illegal for newly qualified junior doctors to be working more than 56 hours a week.

Dr Munir Kane-Todd Hall, who chairs the Northern regional branch of the Junior Doctors' Committee, said: "Many trusts are breaking the working hours limits. It is basically unsafe, you don't get enough sleep and then you are asked to make life-or-death decisions. Is it any wonder that some doctors make mistakes?"

A junior doctor at the North Riding Infirmary in Middlesbrough, Dr Kane-Todd Hall said trust managers "must act quickly to reduce doctors working hours in the interests of patient safety."

It is 10 years since the so-called New Deal to reform working hours was agreed by the British Medical Association, the medical Royal Colleges and the Departments of Health.

By August 2003 the maximum hours rule will apply to all junior doctors.

Dr Michael Walton, medical director at The Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, said: "As far as our newly qualified doctors are concerned our trust does meet the requirements."

Angela Lamb, director of personnel for South Durham Health Care NHS Trust, said: "Work is on-going to change shift patterns and rotas to improve compliance."

But Dr Rodney Cove-Smith, associate medical director at South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, admitted that meeting Government targets was going to be "very challenging" until more doctors come through the system.

A spokeswoman for the Northern and Yorkshire NHS Executive said: "We expect all pre-registration house officers in this region to be compliant with the New Deal target of working no more than 56 hours a week and getting sufficient rest. This has been achieved by introducing shift working and by sharing out of hours work more across staff groups."

Last month Health Minister John Hutton announced that trusts the meet targets on junior doctors' hours will work to help those trusts failing to meet targets.

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