Royal college sets out staffing requirements for consultant delivered care

Abstract

The availability of a consultant on the acute medical unit for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, should be a priority for all staff involved in the planning and delivery of acute medical services, the Royal College of Physicians has said. Consultant duties on the acute medical unit should start no later than 8 am, and the consultant shift should usually last for between eight and 12 hours, the college has recommended. Individual consultants’ duties on the acute care unit should be for two or more consecutive days; any variation …