{
  "abstract": "Background There is little or no data on how recommendation by the UK Joint Advisory Group on Endoscopy (JAG) regarding the system of 12 points per four hour endoscopy list affects the stress level of the Endoscopists. There was a need to elicit this at national level. Operator stress or fatigue can affect quality and standard of any procedure.Aims and Objectives This study was aimed to measure how much the 12 point JAG system actually reflects the workload for the Endoscopists. Furthermore, how it affects their mental health and the personal quality of life. It thus can also influence performance of the Endoscopists and quality of care delivered.Method An anonymous questionnaire was sent to 200 Endoscopists of all grades in the UK to evaluate their workload. We included all England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The participants were Consultant Gastroenterologists, Consultant Surgeons, Fellows, Nurse Endoscopists, Registrars and Trainees in Endoscopy. It was designed on the framework of the validated Health Safety Executive questionnaire that measures work related stress. NHS Research Department approved the ethics while Kingston Hospital NHS Trust Research and Innovation Department did the governance of the study.Results 89.5% response rate was achieved with 179 anonymous responses out of the total 200 questionnaires sent. It was found that a sizeable minority is doing colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy well above the advised upper limit by JAG. Majority (53%) were doing 12 points but 4% were doing 14-16 points instead. Around 18% reported being always or often stressed with endoscopy work. While 13% always had to work very intensively, another 73% had to often or sometimes work very intensively in endoscopy. Only 2% never felt it intense.Conclusion The new guidelines require at least 6 minutes withdrawal time for the endoscope, multiple photographs to be taken, usage of magnification techniques and detailed reporting of findings on the computer system. These are time consuming. Our study has shown that JAG’s allocation of 12 points per list is always not abided by the Endoscopy managers. Even when 12 points are booked, majority find it always, often, or sometimes very intense. Almost a fifth of them got stressed with endoscopy work. This stress from high workload is counter- productive in improving efficiency and safety in endoscopy. Our study points that JAG needs to consider revision of point allocation and balance with work load. Perhaps 10 points instead of 12 per 4 hour list be considered as the recommended?References The JAG [Internet]. [cited 2024 Nov 6]. How many points should there be on an endoscopy list? Available from: https://thejag.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000959073-How-many-points-should-there-be-on-an-endoscopy-listhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/assets/docs/indicatortool.pdf",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Gastroenterologist, Ickenham, united Kingdom"
      ],
      "name": "Tariq Mahmood"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P294 National study of work related stress level in endoscopy; is the point system in UK endoscopy requiring revision?",
  "uid": "a8779986-1718-565e-b8aa-6e3793b15cdf"
}