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<p>The junior doctors’ contract introduced in 2016 included measures aimed at improving
the wellbeing of the junior doctor workforce including new, stronger limits on working
hours and patterns. These included reducing the maximum number of consecutive nights
shifts to four (down from seven) and ensuring at least 46 hours rest at the end of
a run of three or four consecutive nights.</p><p>A joint review of the effectiveness
of the contract has now been concluded by the British Medical Association (BMA) and
NHS Employers which has resulted in even more robust safety and rest limits; for example,
a rest period of 46 hours will be applied following any number of rostered night shifts.
The BMA and NHS Employers have also agreed good rostering guidance that emphasises
the need to have a balanced rota cycle with different types of shifts, including night
shifts, evenly distributed to manage fatigue.</p><p>A junior doctors’ work schedule
is designed to meet their training needs and this also, in practice, limits the number
of night shifts they are expected to complete (as training usually takes place during
the day time).</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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