19 April 07 Letter to MPs from BMA
From Mmc
19 April 2007
JDC has written to all MPs in advance of an Opposition Day Debate in the House of Commons on MMC on Tuesday 24 April
Dear MP
Opposition Day Debate on Modernising Medical Careers – Tuesday 24th April
Update on changes to junior doctor training (MMC and MTAS)
Over recent weeks, it is likely that you will have seen high amount of media coverage and received letters from junior doctors in your constituency worried about the problems they have encountered with the Government’s new system for appointing junior doctors. The BMA has been extremely concerned about the way Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) has been implemented, particularly the ded to ensure that any outcomes from the group would get the best possible outcome and do as little damage to as few doctors as possible. In putting pressure on the Department of Health, further proposals were developed that were worthy of consideration from within the group and the BMA has worked to rescue what can be saved from the MTAS debacle.
The details of this rescue package for Round 1 from the Review Group are available on the BMA’s website http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/MTAS040407, and the Review Group have agreed to publish regular updates and fact sheets on www.mmc.nhs.uk and www.mtas.nhs.uk. The BMA by no means feels that the compromise proposed for Round 1 is the optimum solution were this whole applications system to be run again. However, we do agree that it represents a practical way forwards given the unsatisfactory situation that junior doctors have found themselves in because of the failure of the Government to listen adequately to our concerns.
Nevertheless, much still remains to be done to make Round 2 a fair and robust process. Therefore, the BMA is also calling for:
- A full and independent review of both the application process and MMC (this has subsequently been agreed to by the Secretary of State in a statement to the House of Commons on 16 April)
- A clear process led and developed by the profession to establish an evidence-based and workable system for 2008
- A change in the culture that has led to the profession’s concerns throughout this process being derided and ignored
- A robust Round 2 where Specialty Training places as well as fixed term appointments are available. This would need to have the confidence of the profession, so a restructured application form would be necessary.
No one would wish junior doctors to be in the position experienced over the past number of weeks but it has been imperative to rescue a process which has been the result of inadequate professional involvement and failure to listen to our concerns. We believe that no better options are feasible or workable at this time.
MMC should bring major benefits to both doctors and patients when implemented appropriately; however, the BMA has been extremely concerned about the lack of planning of implementation and the speed with which the service and training is being re-organised. Understandably, junior doctors have been extremely anxious about the changes and we particularly worry about its effect on the existing workforce making a transition to the new system, as well as the patients who they will be caring for. We also fear that there has been significant movement away from the original principles behind MMC, as proposed by Sir Liam Donaldson CMO (England) in Unfinished Business†, to the detriment of future medical training in the UK.
It costs about £250,000 to train a doctor and the onus is on the Department of Health to ensure that no doctor loses out on a fully trained career as a result of the failings of the system and we are pushing that the second round of job applications gives talented doctors the opportunity to compete for jobs on a fair and equitable basis. Equally importantly, we want a cast iron guarantee that no junior doctor will be forced out of training as a result of this system, or workforce planning errors.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Jo Hilborne
Chairman
BMA Junior Doctors Committee
† Unfinished Business, Proposals for reform of the Senior House Officer grade, A report by Sir Liam Donaldson Chief Medical Officer for England, A paper for consultation August 2002
