British Association of Otorhinologists - Head and Neck Surgeons email to members 26 March 07

From Mmc

TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION:

MMC and MTAS. BAO-HNS recommendations

The shambles over MTAS that that has been enacted in recent days is no more than was predictable and indeed predicted. The College of Surgeons repeatedly warned the government about the inequities of the new selection process, although perhaps not as vociferously as some would have liked. Now we are in the thick of it with government back-pedalling furiously and everyone else saying they told them so. As many of you will know a Review Group has been set up under the chairmanship of Professor Neil Douglas, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, with representation from the Colleges, the BMA, the CMOs and trainees and MMC, to address the immediate concerns and come up with stop-gap solutions. The Review Group has already decided that the first round of interviews which began last week should continue but recommended that the process be strengthened by asking those applicants who have been shortlisted to provide CVs and portfolios. This recommendation has already been communicated to the Deans and to applicants and selectors. You should have already received a communication from the English College or seen the Press Release in which the College states that “Surgeons will now use full CVs and the customary structured interview to select candidates”. However the College also states that “trained advisors will now go back and examine in detail the candidates who were left out first time around. Those candidates who are worthy of training posts will now re-enter the process and go forward to interview at no disadvantage.” As many interviews are scheduled for this week it is clear that the job of reselecting from the un-shortlisted cohort cannot have taken place by the time of the interviews. Not to go ahead and interview the original group would just add to an already distressing situation. I have sought the views of the Executive Officers of the BAO-HNS over the last few days, and as a result, therefore, suggest to those of you who are involved in the process that you go ahead and interview the original group, with CVs, portfolios etc. Keep scores but do not make appointments. Insist to the Deanery that another interview be arranged, with the same panel of interviewers as soon as the second cohort have been shortlisted. Make the appointments after the second interview. The Deaneries will object to this but they are powerless. They have received clear instructions from the Review Group. If they do not play ball, that is the time to refuse to have anything to do with the process. We have to be strong on this and try to correct the injustices that have brought upon our juniors through no fault of their own.

It is certain that we will be asked to comment on the process as it has affected our Speciality, and produce chapter and verse to support our case. For that reason I would ask each of you involved in MTAS to report your experiences, good or bad, to by email to the BAO office so that I can compile a dossier. I am sorry if this involves some extra work but I feel this process of information gathering is essential.

Good Luck

Richard Ramsden President

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