Background: Various models of hospital in-patient cover arrangements for junior doctors have been utilised in the United Kingdom. Some settings follow a team-based system for junior doctors and some a ward-based system. The aim of this study was to determine staff's satisfaction rates with regard to a ward-based system for Foundation Year 1 (FY1) doctors in relation to continuity of patient care and doctors' training.
Material and methods: The Orthopaedic department of a District Teaching Hospital in the United Kingdom moved to a ward-based system for the FY1s from a previous team-based system. A questionnaire was administered to FY1s, nursing staff and senior doctors asking their satisfaction rates.
Results: 42 practitioners were questioned. They included 15 FY1s, 15 ward nurses and 12 senior doctors. 73.3% of FY1s were satisfied with the ward-based system with regard to continuity of patient care and 40% of them were very satisfied/satisfied with it with regard to achieving training objectives. All nurses, 66.7% of FY1s and 66.7% of senior doctors were very satisfied/satisfied with the ward-based system for achieving service provision (p=0.053). All nurses and 60% of FY1s preferred the ward-based system (p=0.017). All nurses and 66.7% of senior doctors rated the ward-based system as being much better/better than team-based at achieving service provision (p-0.028).
Conclusions: 1. Our results suggest that a ward-based system for FY1s can be successfully implemented in an orthopaedic setting. 2. Ward-based system confers high satisfaction rates with regard to care provision and continuity of care. 3. Taking into account training needs and substitutes for structured team work would be an area for improvement.