Action Call On ‘Chaotic’ Recruitment Of Trainee Medics

Junior doctors are to meet Nicola Sturgeon, the health secretary, next week amid calls for urgent action over the chaotic recruitment system for trainee medics.

Almost 70 doctors yesterday wrote to Ms Sturgeon and her colleagues highlighting their discontent.

Members of campaign group Remedy UK Scotland said the SNP-led Executive was in the perfect position to “sort out the mess Labour left”.

The group said large numbers of Scottish trainees had not yet had offers for training posts, including 75 per cent of psychiatry trainees. They also warned of potential chaos on August 1 when the new jobs start.

They said the switchover could put patients at risk and time was running out to resolve the situation.

Dr Kevin Cormack, a paediatrics trainee in Stirling, has led efforts to highlight problems with the Medical Training Application Service (MTAS). The system, part of the Modernising Medical Careers training shake-up, was abandoned by the government earlier this month.

It was labelled “shambolic” by doctors who said it did not take into account their experience. It was also subject to security breaches.

The letter warns that the August 1 changeover is “likely to be fraught with difficulties” as doctors have to move homes, cities or countries.

The doctors also warn 10,000 juniors across the UK could be left without training posts, with doubts over whether they will be able to re-enter training as posts become available at a later point, leaving the NHS understaffed.

Ms Sturgeon said: “I am keen to take the concerns of junior doctors seriously and am making arrangements to meet with junior doctors’ representatives next week.”