Once enacted, the Medical Training Prioritisation Act aims to prioritise UK medical graduates for foundation and specialty training posts across the UK, to address a surge in training applicants against current training capacity. Those with significant NHS experience and graduates from specific international medical schools will also be part of the priority group, who will be made offers of training posts in the initial iterations of the offers process.
The College recognises the exceptional pressures currently facing medical specialty training and the need to ensure sufficient paediatric training capacity to meet future demand. RCPCH will continue to work with NHS England the Department of Health and Social Care to support fair solutions that strengthen the paediatric workforce and protect the highest standards for entry into training.
Further information can be found in our Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill member briefing.
RCPCH President, Professor Steve Turner, said:
Over the last year we have seen record levels of competition for a mostly static number of training posts. This new measure aims to reduce some of this pressure, though we note the range of views and opinions shared by our members on this matter. The college recognises the integral and ongoing contribution made by existing International Medical Graduates to the NHS and are committed to representing paediatricians across the UK and pushing for fair and practical solutions.
The College is working closely with the national recruitment teams to support implementation of the required changes for the current ST1 and ST3 round and beyond. It’s vital that applicants are kept informed of any potential delays or changes affecting the ongoing recruitment processes.
In the meantime, rota gaps and paediatric waiting times remain a concern, particularly in community child health services. We are continuing to call on Governments for a national child health workforce plan. This plan must consider how to expand the paediatric workforce to include consultant, SAS and locally employed doctors, alongside an appropriate spread of training places, while taking into account the long‑term impact of this Bill on the future paediatric workforce and ultimately focus the needs of children and young people.