Junior doctors at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital are demanding that the QEH management shorten their shifts to no more than 24 hours and have given the hospital’s administration three weeks to act on that request.

This was a key issue for the junior doctors when they met with the hospital’s administrators today in what was billed as a closed-door listening session.

The Board and Management of the QEH scheduled the meeting following an outcry from the junior doctors and a government Senator over what were said to be extremely long working hours.

The senator said the situation is unsafe for both doctors and patients while her junior colleagues said that as a result of long working hours, several doctors have either emigrated to the U.S, United Kingdom or Canada, resigned from their posts, taken extended sick leave periods or had to get mental health counselling for physician burnout.

During today’s meeting the junior doctors requested that immediate action be taken to shorten their shifts.

Starcom Network News understands that during the session the doctors voiced their frustration and explained how tired they are, while restating their belief that the situation is unsafe for patients.

One junior doctor told Starcom Network News – quote- “we are simply asking for some rest”.

The doctors tell Starcom Network News that the issues raised were also contained in a list of grievances submitted through the official channels as far back as 2019, though they note that some members of the current QEH board are new.

The junior doctors tell Starcom Network News that they are not optimistic anything will change but have given the authorities three weeks to act on their key demand – the request for shorter working hours.