Forty eight hour working week becomes law

Consultants in Britain are worried that if the European Union's working time directive, which comes into force on 1 October, is applied rigidly the NHS will be unable to operate effectively.

Under the directive all senior hospital doctors will be entitled to work only an average of 48 hours a week and have a weekly rest period of 24 hours every week, 11 hours' consecutive rest each day, and a minimum 20 minute rest break if the working day is longer …