THE SELF: INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
HPD Exclusive Report
Prof. George Thomson
Endocrinologist, & Director for Education
Professor George Other changes too are impacting
Thomson, an the profession. European
Endocrinologist, working time directive, now
Associate Medical dictates that doctors only work a
Director and Director maximum 48-hour week, when
for Medical Education at in years gone by, especially in
the Sherwood Forests the early 1990’s the average used
Hospital Foundation Trust to be 100 hour weeks. What this
explains what challenges translates as, says George, is that
new doctors will face doctors of tomorrow will not
in the coming years, as have the raw experience of the
well as signposting to consultants of today, who have
which skills will become endured the historical “100 hour”
essential in order to marathons. Simply put, a junior
fl ourish in the profession. doctor of yester year could work
the equivalent of 2½ years in one
With an ageing population, a year. That’s some serious hours.
stagnant GDP, and with spiralling But was it always healthy? The
healthcare costs, the country answer was a categorical “no”
is gearing itself for a diffi cult from the Professor. Nevertheless,
future says George Thomson, an he made a point of saying that
endocrinologist at the newly built experience cannot be replaced
Kingsmill Hospital in Mansfi eld. by another text book to churn
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HPD Sept ‘09 - Feb ‘10