THE level of experience being gained by doctors during their training has fallen dramatically because of new European laws, Scotland's most senior surgeon has said.

John Orr, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh,

told Scotland on Sunday that European laws which put an end to the traditional long-hours hospital culture mean doctors are now undergoing less training before they become consultants.

Last night, junior doctors went a step further and claimed that this has put patient care at risk, with hospitals forced to hand some work to nurses.

The European Working Time Directive has imposed a 54-hour limit on the working week of doctors, which will reduce further to 48 hours in 2009.

In the 1970s a doctor would have spent around 30,000 hours over 10 years training to become a consultant, but that is now reduced to around 10,000 hours in five years.

Orr, who oversees the training of thousands of doctors in surgical specialities, said: "The European Working Time Directive presents issues in terms of how you deliver the service.

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