In 2006, the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Deanery (now part of East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery) and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust were selected to jointly run a pilot project to meet the European working-time directive. Working hours for junior doctors had already reduced from a maximum working week of 72 hours to 56 hours as part of the new deal contract in 2004.