More than half of doctors in Australia’s public hospitals are working unsafe hours – some more than 70 hours in a single shift. A new audit by the Australian Medical Association found that 53 per cent were on rosters that placed them at significant or higher risk of fatigue. Intensive care physicians and surgeons were the most stretched. One doctor reported working an unbroken 76-hour shift, alongside others who endured shifts of between 53 and 72 hours. AMA president Michael Gannon was left dismayed. “It is disappointing that work and rostering practices in some hospitals are still contributing to doctor fatigue and stress, which ultimately affect patient safety and quality of care and the health of the doctor,” he said in a statement.
