title: Cross cover for physicians: an additional burden.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the extra burden placed on consultant physicians when providing cross cover for colleagues who are absent on annual or study leave.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was sent to 455 consultant physicians with an interest in gastroenterology, practising in the UK in October 1996.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 77%, with 350 completed forms returned. Ninety percent of respondents participate in the acute intake; they provide 85% of cross cover for their colleagues. Only 2% of this burden is carried by the appointment of locums.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Provision of satisfactory cover for inpatients under the care of absent colleagues can place serious demands on consultants at a time when their specialty commitments are also high. Future manpower planning must take these added burdens into consideration.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Knight-Davis
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fouweather
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Allison
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D003625:Data Collection; D005762:Gastroenterology / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006693:Holidays; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015274:Interdepartmental Relations; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D000078329:Workforce; D016526:Workload / Q000592:standards*