Doctors condemn 'degrading' training reforms
From Mmc
Doctors condemn 'degrading' training reforms
By Adam Lusher, Sunday Telegraph Last Updated: 11:20pm GMT 17/03/2007
David Cameron joined thousands of doctors marching against medical training reforms today.
The Conservative leader delayed travelling to his party’s Nottingham spring conference to attend the London protest.
He tore into the Moderninsing Medical Careers (MMC) scheme, which has also been criticised by the British Medical Association, Royal Colleges, and trainees for "disempowering and degrading" the profession.
Mr Cameron said the training changes were a “shambles” and promised a Conservative government would treat doctors like “human beings”.
He was cheered for adding: “There’s a simple truth at the heart of this: you came into the NHS not because you wanted to get rich or famous, but because you have a vocation about curing the ill, about serving your community.” advertisement
The Government introduced MMC to try to find a fairer way of placing junior doctors in over-subscribed training roles.
At least 30,000 junior doctors have applied for up to 22,000 specialist posts under MMC, which was supposed to speed up the process of becoming a consultant.
Reported problems include computers crashing, non-medically qualified people being involved in short-listing, and scant information on qualifications being available to interviewers.
Last night the Government announced that 5,000 more doctors will now be interviewed for the sought-after roles.
Health Minister Lord Hunt said the group reviewing the reforms, led by Professor Neil Douglas, will set out full details next week.
He added: “These recommendations are significant improvements, and will mean 5,000 more doctors will be considered for selection.” It failed to prevent noisy protests at simultaneous London and Glasgow marches.
Thousands of medics walked from the Royal College of Physicians to the Royal College of Surgeons in London, some bearing banners showing doctors being stabbed in the back.
Mr Cameron faced some heckles of “you’re only here for the votes” but insisted his speech was not political.
He also joked that some people thought Patricia Hewitt was the worst Health Secretary the Government had so far produced. “But others say that’s completely unfair - she’s the worst Health Secretary in the history of the NHS.”
