Comparison of SHO surgical logbooks a generation apart

There is current concern regarding operative experience obtained by senior house officers (SHOs) during basic surgical training prior to beginning registrar level. Anecdotally, working hours are greatly reduced compared to 20 years ago. The reduction in experience is attributed to the New Deal, which was introduced by the Department of Health in 1991 to improve working conditions for doctors, primarily through reduction of working hours to 76 per week maximum by 1996. In addition, Calmanisation, ie the introduction of the specialist trainee registrar grade of training, and the recent introduction of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) have both had an effect on juniors' working hours.