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A coroner has recommended a review of the working conditions of all house surgeons in New Zealand after finding that 24 year old Dr Mathew Rowbotham, a first year doctor, committed suicide in April. Whangarei Hospital confirmed after the inquest that Dr Rowbotham had worked 80 hours in the week before his death. The doctor's father, Mr Tom Rowbotham, confirmed that his son had worked such long hours every third week that he was on duty.
Dr Loek Henneveld, the chief medical adviser to Northland Health, the crown health enterprise responsible for Whangarei Hospital, said that a continuing review of the working conditions and hours of junior doctors at the hospital had been brought into sharper focus by the suicide. Three more doctors would be added to the junior doctors' rota at the hospital next year. This would allow the hospital to meet the guidelines of...