Yahoo News Doctors are so overworked and tired they're 'acting like drunks' and putting lives at risk
Doctors who are tired and stressed are acting like they are ‘drunk’ and putting patient lives at risk, according to the British Medical Association (BMA).
A motion, put forward by the City and Hackney BMA division, in London, but not voted on by members, raised concerns about the impact of long shifts on doctors.
It said: ‘After 12 hours, doctors have been tested and behave as if they are drunk in terms of concentration and judgement.
‘The doctors tested had no idea their judgement was impaired.’
The BMA added that tired and overworked doctors ‘have an adverse effect on patient safety’ and the NHS must ‘shift’ how it looks after the physical and mental health of its workforce.
Dr Satish Jayagopal, who proposed the motion on behalf of BMA’s south west regional council, said: ‘Medical work is psychologically demanding: physicians should not be expected to heal themselves.’
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He told delegates that long hours has been associated with poor sleep, negative attitudes and impaired judgment in doctors.
Dr Vijoy Singh, speaking in support of the motion, said there was insufficient support for doctors in the health service.
He added: ‘The NHS stands out alone as a major institution that does very little to support the workers from whom, under extreme stress, it requires elite performance.
‘This is in contrast to the sports industry, the aviation industry and any other decent employer.
‘What we need is a universal NHS-wide support mechanism for every doctor in the NHS regardless of speciality and age.’
