The Australian Medical Association’s (AMA) WA branch says that the state Government should ensure that doctors are not overworked and overstressed in an attempt to meet the “four hour rule”.

The AMA has received reports from a number of health workers complaining that young doctors are consuming energy drinks and caffeine pills to stay awake while working through the extended hours.

The AMA has taken up the matter and started talks with the Health Department to find a solution for this issue. David Mountain, the state President says that the patients will be put at risk unless the WA Government provides extra funds to address the problem at hand.

He said, “There are clearly some shifts that junior doctors are doing that are very long and arduous. With the four hour rule being introduced, you've got to make sure we've got the right staffing and the right funding arrangements in place to make sure that happens safely.”

Kim Hames, the Health Minister, says that he will investigate the claims. He said, “Young doctors shouldn't be taking tablets and shouldn't have to be doing that sort of shift so I'm surprised I have to say to hear that there's some suggestion that they might be and I'll just have to make sure that they're not doing that.”