NHS to be hit by 'triple whammy' at critical time

Public health service resources could be stretched to breaking point for the duration of the swine flu pandemic as EU regulations on working hours limit the number of doctors and nurses on hand to treat patients.

That is according to the Royal College of Surgeons, which has warned that the new rules, which are due to come into effect at the start of next month and which forbid hospital doctors from working more than 48 hours a week, could place even more pressure on the NHS.

The system is also expected to be further stretched as healthcare providers take time off work to care for sick children.

At the same time, the College of Emergency Medicine has similarly expressed fears that the NHS could be overwhelmed with hundreds of thousands of extra cases over the next few month.

President John Heyworth warned: "There is a triple whammy heading inexorably our way - the directive, doctor rotations and swine flu and the impact of all of this happening at once is unknown."

As a result, doctors' groups have called on the government to suspend the working time regulations and allow the current limit of 56 hours a week to remain in place for the time being.

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