NCHD on call during pregnancy

kdowling

Can an NCHD opt out of being on call when pregnant or is there a cut off point where they don't have to do call after a certain amount of weeks of pregnancy?
thanks in advance.

RobFowl

No, unless there is a valid medical reason, and there is no official cut off point AFAIK.
I know SHO's and interns who went into labout while on-call......

Ryder

no cut-off that im aware of but i really dont think it would be difficult to get off call from say 28/30 weeks on. Very easy to argue (for any of us) that doing a 24/36hr shift is good for your or the babys health. I cant see your colleagues or HR being difficult about it.....

Vorsprung

Ryder wrote: »

no cut-off that im aware of but i really dont think it would be difficult to get off call from say 28/30 weeks on. Very easy to argue (for any of us) that doing a 24/36hr shift is good for your or the babys health. I cant see your colleagues or HR being difficult about it.....

You'd be surprised mate!

drzhivago

kdowling wrote: »

Can an NCHD opt out of being on call when pregnant or is there a cut off point where they don't have to do call after a certain amount of weeks of pregnancy?
thanks in advance.

Wrong question, your contract does not allow you to opt out of ON CALL

However there are valid medical reasons for not doing on call in specialities where you may have to do 24/36 hour shifts and particulalry if you have had medical issues in previous pregnancies such as

• Miscarriages in posst where working 24/36 hour shifts or 60-70hr + weeks ( many papers showing long hours can afect maternal fetal health and also rate of miscarriage, producing this to occ health/GP with evidence of previous miscarriage would get you oiut of the 24 hour shifts and restricted to 9-5 type working - still be working just not the crazy hours
• Gestational diabetes or regualr diabetes - more difficult toc ontrol doing shiftwaork and extended hours such as 24 hour shifts during pregnancy process as above
• Hyperemesis

It is inhuman to expect pregnant woman to work 24/36 hour shifts but that still happens

ACE in hole would be to write to occupational health asking if they can support individual being rostered illegally ( not getting 13 hour rest per day/compensatory rest etc) and if they will support you working a restricted shift of only <48 hours per week ( what would be considered long hours in any other job but the minimum in medicine)

Icemancometh

drzhivago wrote: »

Wrong question, your contract does not allow you to opt out of ON CALL

However there are valid medical reasons for not doing on call in specialities where you may have to do 24/36 hour shifts and particulalry if you have had medical issues in previous pregnancies such as

• Miscarriages in posst where working 24/36 hour shifts or 60-70hr + weeks ( many papers showing long hours can afect maternal fetal health and also rate of miscarriage, producing this to occ health/GP with evidence of previous miscarriage would get you oiut of the 24 hour shifts and restricted to 9-5 type working - still be working just not the crazy hours
• Gestational diabetes or regualr diabetes - more difficult toc ontrol doing shiftwaork and extended hours such as 24 hour shifts during pregnancy process as above
• Hyperemesis

It is inhuman to expect pregnant woman to work 24/36 hour shifts but that still happens

ACE in hole would be to write to occupational health asking if they can support individual being rostered illegally ( not getting 13 hour rest per day/compensatory rest etc) and if they will support you working a restricted shift of only <48 hours per week ( what would be considered long hours in any other job but the minimum in medicine)

Considering these working conditions are illegal in the first place, the discussion is absurd. Off-topic I know, but it bothers me!

RobFowl

Reminds me of a coversation a friend had with a BMA rep after being forced to work a full weekend he was supposed to be off on.

"You can take a case and will win it easily, but you'll never work in this area again..."

ThatDrGuy

RobFowl wrote: »

Reminds me of a coversation a friend had with a BMA rep after being forced to work a full weekend he was supposed to be off on.

"You can take a case and will win it easily, but you'll never work in this area again..."

Reminds me of a conversation I had with IMO head office. "Have you
considered emigrating ? , Lots of people are going to Australia..... things are better there "

Resigned from IMO next day.
Go to your Occupational Health Dept. Get them to document something. Then go to HR and say OH has said A,B,C. HR will happily shaft your collegues with extra call at short notice, its no skin off their back (unless they have to **remake the rota ***, then you're on your own )