Shift work may affect housemen’s training, says Abdul Hamid

Star: PETALING JAYA: The creation of shift duties to ease the long working hours of housemen in public hospitals may affect their training.
Physicians for Social Responsibility vice-president Datuk Dr Abdul Hamid Abdul Kadir voiced concern that training and supervision would be affected for those on the night shift because senior doctors only come when on call.
“New graduates require special attention and the shift system will not help train new house officers (HOs),” he said in an interview.
In his Budget 2012 speech on Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that the Government had introduced a flexible schedule with an average of 60 working hours per week for housemen to ease the workload of doctors who had to work for up to 120 hours per week.
He said that they would be paid a Special Flexible Working Allowance of RM600 a month effective Sept 1 this year, replacing the on-call allowance.
Dr Abdul Hamid said the over-crowding of housemen in most government hospitals had led to a lack of supervision and the night shift would only make the situation worse.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said they would still be taught during overlapping shifts when housemen from both shifts would be present.
“We will make sure they get the exposure they need,” he said.
Liow said shifts and reduced hours were needed to prevent on-calls that were extended for long without rest.