Continuing medical education: experience and opinions of consultants.

The right of consultants to study leave and expenses is not binding on trusts and has been eroded in directly managed units. Complaints led to a survey of consultants in North West Thames region. This showed that most consultants use their own time and money to maintain their knowledge by buying and consulting journals and textbooks, attending local meetings, and using their annual leave for study, but they feel the need for study leave to attend meetings of specialist societies and courses. Leave is usually granted readily but without cover provided by a locum and with a very limited contribution to expenses. To maintain quality of medical care both the right and obligation to take study leave should be contractual.