Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the delegates for their attendance. A dangerous and illegal number of hours are being worked. Not only does this affect the mental health and well-being of the doctors, but it could also affect the care of patients. Health and safety are very important in all aspects of work. However, they seem to be blatantly disregarded in the health service. Should patients have confidence in doctors or the health service if they know doctors have just worked 72 hours without a break and are performing procedures on them? I do not understand why rosters cannot be shorter. I understand a person may be rostered for a certain period of time and that shifts may overrun. In the manufacturing sector in which workers also do shift work, nobody has to work three days straight, but people's lives are at risk in the case of NCHDs.