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| Student doctor numbers to rise by 25% | Student doctor numbers to rise by 25% |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The number of medical school places will increase by 25% from 2018 under plans to make England "self-sufficient" in training doctors. | The number of medical school places will increase by 25% from 2018 under plans to make England "self-sufficient" in training doctors. |
| Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is to announce an expansion in training places from 6,000 to 7,500 a year. | Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is to announce an expansion in training places from 6,000 to 7,500 a year. |
| He believes increasing the number of home-grown doctors will be essential given the ageing population. | He believes increasing the number of home-grown doctors will be essential given the ageing population. |
| There is also concern it will become more difficult to recruit doctors trained abroad in the future. | There is also concern it will become more difficult to recruit doctors trained abroad in the future. |
| About a quarter of the medical workforce is trained outside the UK, but the impact of Brexit and a global shortage of doctors could make it harder to recruit so many in the future. | About a quarter of the medical workforce is trained outside the UK, but the impact of Brexit and a global shortage of doctors could make it harder to recruit so many in the future. |
| Prime Minister Theresa May told the BBC: "We want to see the NHS able to recruit doctors from this country. We want to see more British doctors in the NHS." | Prime Minister Theresa May told the BBC: "We want to see the NHS able to recruit doctors from this country. We want to see more British doctors in the NHS." |
| The increase also comes after the health secretary has spent a year at loggerheads with junior doctors over the pressures being placed on them to fill rota gaps. | The increase also comes after the health secretary has spent a year at loggerheads with junior doctors over the pressures being placed on them to fill rota gaps. |
| Medical degrees take five years to complete, so it will be 2024 before the impact of these extra places is felt. | Medical degrees take five years to complete, so it will be 2024 before the impact of these extra places is felt. |
| But Mr Hunt will tell the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on Tuesday: "We need to prepare the NHS for the future, which means doing something we have never done properly before - training enough doctors. | But Mr Hunt will tell the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on Tuesday: "We need to prepare the NHS for the future, which means doing something we have never done properly before - training enough doctors. |
| "Currently a quarter of our doctors come from overseas. They do a fantastic job and we have been clear that we want EU nationals who are already here to stay post-Brexit. | "Currently a quarter of our doctors come from overseas. They do a fantastic job and we have been clear that we want EU nationals who are already here to stay post-Brexit. |
| "But is it right to import doctors from poorer countries that need them while turning away bright home graduates desperate to study medicine?" | "But is it right to import doctors from poorer countries that need them while turning away bright home graduates desperate to study medicine?" |
| Mr Hunt will say the steps will mean that by the end of the next Parliament the NHS in England will be "self-sufficient" when it comes to training doctors. | Mr Hunt will say the steps will mean that by the end of the next Parliament the NHS in England will be "self-sufficient" when it comes to training doctors. |
| Analysis: Will this work? | Analysis: Will this work? |
| There is widespread agreement that the NHS is facing a crisis when it comes to doctor shortages. It is one of the underlying reasons why the dispute between the government and junior doctors has been so bitter. | There is widespread agreement that the NHS is facing a crisis when it comes to doctor shortages. It is one of the underlying reasons why the dispute between the government and junior doctors has been so bitter. |
| So news that the number of training places is to increase by 25% is certainly being welcomed by many. But whether it is enough is another matter. | So news that the number of training places is to increase by 25% is certainly being welcomed by many. But whether it is enough is another matter. |
| The health service employs more than 150,000 doctors - a quarter more than it did a decade ago. But even that has not been sufficient - vacancy rates are said to be running at close to 10%. | The health service employs more than 150,000 doctors - a quarter more than it did a decade ago. But even that has not been sufficient - vacancy rates are said to be running at close to 10%. |
| This is despite huge numbers being recruited from abroad. In fact, the numbers registering to work in the NHS from outside the UK has been outstripping those graduating from medical school in recent years. | This is despite huge numbers being recruited from abroad. In fact, the numbers registering to work in the NHS from outside the UK has been outstripping those graduating from medical school in recent years. |
| The future, of course, is fraught with difficulties. The impact of Brexit on EU doctors is uncertain, there are large numbers due to retire - a figure of 13,500 in the next five years has been suggested - and then there is the not insignificant numbers who leave the NHS for other countries or opportunities. | The future, of course, is fraught with difficulties. The impact of Brexit on EU doctors is uncertain, there are large numbers due to retire - a figure of 13,500 in the next five years has been suggested - and then there is the not insignificant numbers who leave the NHS for other countries or opportunities. |
| More doctors in training doesn't necessarily translate to more doctors in the NHS. | More doctors in training doesn't necessarily translate to more doctors in the NHS. |
| Read more from Nick | Read more from Nick |
| Follow Nick on Twitter | Follow Nick on Twitter |
| The rise in training places will cost £100m by the end of the Parliament, but in the long-term the government hopes to recoup money by charging foreign students more than it does now. | The rise in training places will cost £100m by the end of the Parliament, but in the long-term the government hopes to recoup money by charging foreign students more than it does now. |
| Medical students will also be expected to work for the NHS for at least four years - or face penalties that could include them having to repay the cost of their training, which currently stands at £220,000 over the five-year degree. | Medical students will also be expected to work for the NHS for at least four years - or face penalties that could include them having to repay the cost of their training, which currently stands at £220,000 over the five-year degree. |
| British Medical Association leader Dr Mark Porter said the announcement "falls far short of what is needed". | British Medical Association leader Dr Mark Porter said the announcement "falls far short of what is needed". |
| "The government's poor workforce planning has meant that the health service is currently facing huge and predictable staff shortages," he said. | "The government's poor workforce planning has meant that the health service is currently facing huge and predictable staff shortages," he said. |
| "We desperately need more doctors, particularly with the government plans for further seven-day services, but it will take a decade for extra places at medical school to produce more doctors. | "We desperately need more doctors, particularly with the government plans for further seven-day services, but it will take a decade for extra places at medical school to produce more doctors. |
| "This initiative will not stop the NHS from needing to recruit overseas staff." | "This initiative will not stop the NHS from needing to recruit overseas staff." |
| 'Under-doctored country | 'Under-doctored country |
| Nigel Edwards, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust, said: "For decades, the NHS has failed to train enough of its own staff, so increasing the number of UK-trained medical staff is long overdue. | Nigel Edwards, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust, said: "For decades, the NHS has failed to train enough of its own staff, so increasing the number of UK-trained medical staff is long overdue. |
| "However, if this new announcement involves simply replacing overseas doctors with UK-trained ones, that won't increase the total number working in the NHS, and certainly won't solve the agency staff crisis that is affecting the NHS right now." | "However, if this new announcement involves simply replacing overseas doctors with UK-trained ones, that won't increase the total number working in the NHS, and certainly won't solve the agency staff crisis that is affecting the NHS right now." |
| Chief Executive of Dartford and Gravesham NHS trust Susan Acott told the BBC there were shortages in specialisms including Accident and Emergency, radiology and intensive care in her hospitals. | Chief Executive of Dartford and Gravesham NHS trust Susan Acott told the BBC there were shortages in specialisms including Accident and Emergency, radiology and intensive care in her hospitals. |
| "An expansion of medical training is very desirable," she said. "We're a very under-doctored country compared to European levels." | "An expansion of medical training is very desirable," she said. "We're a very under-doctored country compared to European levels." |
| The idea that doctors could be retained in the UK once they had trained was an "interesting" idea, she added, but there were practical obstacles. | The idea that doctors could be retained in the UK once they had trained was an "interesting" idea, she added, but there were practical obstacles. |
| "Doctors go abroad to develop their training and experience different health systems and techniques," Ms Acott said. | "Doctors go abroad to develop their training and experience different health systems and techniques," Ms Acott said. |
| Are you currently or considering training as a doctor? What do you think of the expansion in medical training? You can share your comments and experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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