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Doctor training scheme to change Doctors' selection system changed
(about 2 hours later)
A new system of recruiting junior doctors is being changed following complaints from the medical profession. The government has given in to protests from the medical profession over a controversial new system to select young doctors for specialist training.
The British Medical Association said the current round of interviews for specialist training, which began this week, should be suspended. The British Medical Association (BMA) said the system was badly organised, failed to draw out expertise and could not cope with demand.
Following a review, the Department of Health said that it should continue. Initial findings of an independent review have now revealed the process has "shortcomings" and should change.
But it has promised that candidates who fail to get an interview will be given the chance to have their application reconsidered by a senior doctor. Health minister Lord Hunt has apologised to those affected.
This may result in the offer of a first-round interview, according to the department. He told the BBC's The World Tonight: "I'm certainly very sorry if junior doctors have been affected adversely in this way and that's why, when it became apparent from the meetings that we had with doctors early in the week, we set up this review."
'Shortcomings' He said the Department of Health (DoH) had been working "very hard" with the medical Royal Colleges and the BMA to deal with "the key problems" of the system.
The BMA had said the new system set up to process applications was badly organised, failed to draw out applicants' expertise and could not cope with demand. Boycott threatened
Some consultants threatened to boycott the process. "I know that this has been a difficult time for junior doctors and I hope that this reassures them that we have listened to their concerns," he said.
Around 30,000 junior doctors are applying for 22,000 places. The DoH had rejected calls from the BMA to suspend the current round of interviews for specialist training posts, which began this week.
After protests from doctors, the government ordered an independent review chaired by Professor Neil Douglas, the vice-president of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. But it went on to order a review of the system after consultants threatened to boycott the interviews, claiming the system was flawed and unfair.
In a statement on Friday night, the DoH said that the review's initial findings revealed "shortcomings". In a statement, the DoH said there will now be "significant" changes to the second round of interviews, which is due to begin in April.
Final report
There will now be "significant" changes to the second round of interviews, which is due to begin in April.
This will include allowing applicants to provide CVs and portfolios to support their applications. At present they can only submit an application form.This will include allowing applicants to provide CVs and portfolios to support their applications. At present they can only submit an application form.
In addition, there will be changes to the application form and the scoring system, as well as better support and feedback for candidates.In addition, there will be changes to the application form and the scoring system, as well as better support and feedback for candidates.
The DoH said: "The Department has accepted the need for change and the revised approach will now be tested with junior doctors, selectors, deanery recruitment teams and employers." The DoH said: "The department has accepted the need for change and the revised approach will now be tested with junior doctors, selectors, deanery recruitment teams and employers."
Health minister Lord Hunt said: "I know that this has been a difficult time for junior doctors and I hope that this reassures them that we have listened to their concerns." Those who have already been refused will be able to have their applications reconsidered.
Anil Ghosh, a junior doctor from Oxfordshire, told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight that the changes were a step in the right direction. Competitive
The new system was designed to speed up the progress of doctors' training so juniors could reach consultant level in an average of 11 years, rather than the current 14.
However, doctors who have been through their initial stage of training under both the old and the new systems are all competing for a limited number of specialist training posts.
This is the point at which a doctor would select to focus on an area of expertise, such as cancer medicine or paediatrics.
Around 30,000 applicants are currently chasing 22,000 available jobs.
In addition, doctors who were applying for training posts online also faced problems with the computer systems which meant many well-qualified candidates were not offered interviews.
Anil Ghosh, a junior doctor from Oxfordshire, told the BBC's The World Tonight that the changes were a step in the right direction.
But he added: "I still think that, although in reality we are being given a second chance or a half chance of reapplying, that the system is not particularly fair as they are still not interviewing the best candidates in the first place."But he added: "I still think that, although in reality we are being given a second chance or a half chance of reapplying, that the system is not particularly fair as they are still not interviewing the best candidates in the first place."
The review team will publish its final report by the end of the month. The final report of the review, chaired by Professor Neil Douglas, the vice-president of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, will be published by the end of the month.