Hewitt U-turn over junior doctors
From Mmc
Hewitt U-turn over junior doctors
Hundreds of promising young surgeons who failed to get interviews in a "fatally flawed" job application system are to have a second chance, after a second climbdown by the Department of Health.
The Royal College of Surgeons announced last night that it had "successfully negotiated a rescue package for trainee surgeons".
This heralds an end to the crumbling applications and interview system. Senior consultants have already begun to boycott interview panels because they believe the new system is not fit for purpose.
The new programme of training for junior doctors and its online application system has produced a torrent of criticism and four days ago forced Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary, to agree to an immediate review.
The Royal College of Surgeons said in a statement yesterday: "The Department of Health has agreed to re-run the first round of the Medical Training and Application Service (MTAS) [for surgeons] to make sure all worthy candidates will be short-listed.
"Surgeons will now use full CVs and the customary structured interview to select candidates for jobs rather than relying on a computerised selection process which has clearly failed and has cause deep distress to both trainees and those tasked with their selection".
The college said all previously selected candidates would still have their interviews but experienced doctors would go back and "examine in detail" candidates who were left out first time round.
The new system perversely appeared to select candidates with the least experience, leaving without any interviews thousands of junior doctors with more experience, qualifications and published research. The "blinded" application system did not use CVs.
There were at least 30,000 applications for 22,000 posts, the jobs in which doctors train to become consultants.
Bernard Ribeiro, the president of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: "Over the last few weeks I have gathered evidence from surgeons, trainees and their families around the country and I understand the distress that the MTAS process has caused.
"It is clear there is a large group of highly skilled trainees who have not been short listed for interview due to faults in the application process.
"I am pleased to say that the Secretary of State has listened to our advice and acted quickly to set up this review, which has hopefully reassured both patients and trainees.
"We can only be part of an application process that provides the NHS with first class trainee surgeons - this is vital for the safety of patients.
"The college has consistently given advice to the Modernising Medical Careers team on a process for selection of surgeons by surgeons.
Mr Ribeiro warned: "I will continue to pressurise the department to act on our advice to introduce a selection process for next year which is fair to all and effectively selects the highest quality surgical trainees for our NHS. Our patients deserve no less."
Parents of disappointed junior doctors began a campaign for justice for their children.
One mother, Lindsay Cooke, is launching an email address "mums4medics@aol.com", where parents and partners can exchange opinions.
She said: "We understand better than most what our sons and daughters have been going through. I have watched this bright, lively daughter turn into someone who felt helpless and despairing."
She urged parents to write to their MPs and join next weekend's "white coat march". File:Example.jpg
