Journal of clinical pathology
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To document demography, changing workload patterns, job satisfaction, morale, and prevalence of stress and psychological morbidity among UK consultant medical microbiologists and virologists. ⋯ The long hours worked by many consultant microbiologists and virologists are in breach of the European Working Time Directive and are associated with a higher degree of psychological morbidity. For most consultants, the frequency of on call commitments is demanding and job satisfaction and morale have deteriorated. Urgent action is needed, particularly to support those working more than 48 hours each week and those on call at weekends 1 : 1 or 1 : 2. However, a major expansion of the consultant establishment cannot be achieved rapidly, and will be slowed further if early retirements become more frequent.