Online system for junior doctors scrapped
From Mmc
Online system for junior doctors scrapped
By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor Last Updated: 2:30am BST 09/10/2007
The online system for recruiting junior doctors to training posts has been scrapped, as a report said officials were warned of its flaws over a year ago but took no action.
The inquiry, led by Sir John Tooke, the chairman of the Medical Schools Council, found there was a "whole systems failure" in Modernising Medical Careers (MMC). It described the situation, which saw nearly 28,000 doctors applying for about 15,500 training places in England, as "damaging and morale-sapping".
The Daily Telegraph highlighted the plight of junior doctors earlier this year and has been pressuring ministers to take action.
The Department of Health recently announced that this year's applications would be handled locally rather than online. Sir John also recommended measures to ensure training posts go only to those who studied in the UK.
He said senior civil servants were told the nearly 2:1 ratio of applicants to jobs was a "red risk" as early as July last year but that nothing was done. They were also told in March 2006 that the online system could cause problems.
