It has been reported that 70% of consultant surgeons, who took part in a national survey, said that they are expected to undertake elective operations while they are supposed to be on call for emergencies.
Also, more than three-quarters of those surveyed, work more than their contracted hours. The first ever comprehensive survey of the surgical workforce was published in January 2011, by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS). The Surgical Workforce Report will become an annual survey of surgical consultants working practices and is intended to provide the NHS with accurate figures to inform long-term planning of the numbers of surgeons required to serve the UK.
