Experiences of a 24‐hour resident consultant service

Abstract

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists supports the Department of Health recommendation to increase consultant presence outside current working hours. Resident, 24‐hour consultant cover exerts considerable pressure on staff. Whether permanent consultant presence improves standards of care is unclear. Learning objectives: To explore the relationship between evidence in support of a permanent consultant presence and pregnancy outcomes. To appreciate the advantages, disadvantages and practical considerations of 24‐hour resident consultant cover. Ethical issues: Is it possible to balance improvements in the standard of maternity care with potential detrimental effects on NHS staff? Please cite this article as: Edmonds S, Allenby K. Experiences of a 24‐hour resident consultant service. The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist 2008;10:107–111.

Resident consultant obstetrician presence on the labour ward versus other models of consultant cover: a systematic review of intrapartum outcomes

“…Those introducing resident consultant presence felt it important that any model is considered equitable by consultants, rather than new consultants taking resident night shifts and established consultants being on call from home. In addition, although junior staff generally considered that training and support was improved through continuous consultant presence, it was felt by interviewees that the step‐up from a trainee to a consultant would become effectively much greater with continuous resident consultant presence, as trainees would never have had to act independently during their training without a consultant available to assist.…”