The Bill is UK-wide, and the changes to how training applications are prioritised will be applied to the current round of National Specialty and Foundation Recruitment, now that the Bill has completed the full parliamentary process, and received Royal Assent on 5 March 2026.
The Bill 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.
As a result of the bill’s introduction, Medical & Dental Recruitment and Selection (MDRS) have advised a change to the offers date for Round 1 specialties, which includes Paediatric ST1 posts. As such, initial offers will now be released by 31st March.
About the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill
The Bill has been enacted via emergency (“fast-track”) legislation, so that it can be implemented during the current national application cycle.
The Bill applies UK-wide and has been coordinated through the four nations’ governments. The Bill will include:
For the Foundation Programme (from 2026 starts):
- Prioritisation of applicants with primary medical qualifications from the UK, Republic of Ireland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland
For Specialty Training (posts starting 2026):
- Priority given at offer stage to applicants who:
- have primary medical qualification from medical schools in the UK or Republic of Ireland
- have a primary medical qualification from medical schools in Iceland, Principality of Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland
- have completed or are currently on the relevant qualifying UK training programme (e.g. Foundation for core training, core training for higher training)
- are British citizens
- are Commonwealth citizens with the right of abode in the United Kingdom under section 2 of the Immigration Act 1971
- are Irish citizens who do not require leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom under that Act
- have indefinite leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom
- have leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom which was granted by virtue of residence scheme immigration rules within the meaning given by section 17 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020
For Specialty Training (from 2027 onwards):
- Priority applied at shortlisting and invite to interview, as well as the offer stage to:
- The groups above, and
- Applicants with significant NHS experience as defined by forthcoming criteria that are to be discussed by various relevant groups, within the MDRS set-up
Timeline
The Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 13 January 2026 and subsequently progressed through parliamentary stages, including a debate in Parliament on 27 January 2026. It then passed through several stages before becoming law. The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England were clear that the Bill should go through the full parliamentary process, including debate, scrutiny, and approval by both Houses, before becoming an Act.
Implementation will apply immediately to the 2026 training cycle, affecting both foundation and specialty recruitment processes, as initially suggested
RCPCH engagement
The College recognises the exceptional pressures currently facing medical specialty training and the need for an expansion of paediatric training places. RCPCH continues 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.
The RCPCH Medical Workforce and Recruitment team is also working closely with the national recruitmentteams 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 and updates are being applied to the recruitment webpages as and when required:
The College will be monitoring the ongoing implementation and progress of the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill through, as needed, and will engage with MPs and Peers across the political spectrum, in line with our charitable objects and charity commission guidance, on behalf of the paediatric workforce, as well as via MDRS.