Implementation Support Group

The Northern Ireland Improving Junior Doctors’ Working Lives Implementation Support Group (ISG) was established in August 2001. Its purpose, to date, has been to assist Trusts in implementing the New Deal for Junior Doctors.  However the role of ISG has since expanded to consider the implications of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD), which has applied to junior doctors since August 2004. The ISG works in an advisory capacity with Trusts, Boards and the Department.

ISG membership encompasses a wide range of representatives from the various key stakeholders.  The committee is comprised of representatives of the Department of Health, Boards, Trusts, BMA, the Queen’s University of Belfast and local Deanery.  The ISG committee meet every three months in order to discuss key issues in order to deliver and improve both New Deal and EWTD compliance.

A smaller subgroup of ISG, the Department Liason Group (DLG), meet on a monthly basis.  DLG’s role is mainly to oversee the day to day business of ISG, engaging with local Trusts advising on compliance issues.

The New Deal dates from 1991 and formed an agreement between the government and representatives of the medical profession on a phased improvement in working conditions for junior doctors.  The agreement set out maximum hours of work and specific rest requirements for this group of staff. The New Deal also covers areas such as the improvement to accommodation and catering facilities.  By the late 1990s progress on implementation had slowed.  A new employment contract for junior doctors was introduced in December 2000, which contained a new banded pay structure aimed at restoring the impetus to achieve compliance. From August 2003 it has been a contractual obligation for Trusts to ensure all working patterns for doctors in training comply with the New Deal.

The European Working Time Directive was introduced locally through the Working Time Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998.  The legislation was introduced to protect the health and safety of workers.  Initially the legislation did not apply to various groups of workers including doctors in training.  Further legislation made in 2003 set out the parameters of a phased application of the Working Time Regulations to doctors in training.  This process began in August 2004 and will continue until the Directive is met in full for doctors in training.   The legislation sets July 2009 as the due date for full implementation.  Since August 2004 ISG have requested that trusts collect EWTD data along with New Deal data during the six monthly monitoring round.