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SPECIALTY TRAINING ‘LIMITS DOCTORS’, SURVEY FINDS


MORE than half of trainee doctors and new GPs think the current specialty training programme limits doctors’ potential. Criticism for the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) programme


emerged in the latest BMA survey of doctors who graduated in 2006. The BMA has questioned the 431 graduates each year as the cohort was the first to follow the MMC pathway. Of the 372 doctors who responded to the 2012 survey, 54 per cent


agreed or strongly agreed that the programme limited the potential of doctors. They highlighted duplication of placements, difficulty changing specialty and previous clinical experience not being taken into account as the main problem factors. The majority of respondents (84 per cent) wanted more flexible specialty training placements while 72 per cent believed taking time out of specialty training to work in a non-training post was stigmatising, with 59 per cent feeling the same about taking time out for family reasons. A further 47 per cent also believed there is a stigma associated with changing specialty after foundation training. The BMA said this finding was “particularly concerning” due to the expected shortfall in GP trainees and oversupply of hospital specialty trainees. Despite the criticism, only 12 per cent of those who responded to the


survey said their specialty training so far had not allowed them to develop their career to the best of their ability. Chair of the BMA’s Junior Doctor Committee Ben Molyneux branded


the MMC “a mixed bag”, adding: “We have reduced the amount of flexibility in the system and it’s really slow progress to change things in the right way”.


ALL TRAINEES FIND JOBS


ALL trainee doctors have been given jobs after spending months on a waiting list.


The final 33 reserve list applicants were allocated places on July 8. It was confirmed last October that oversubscription to the Foundation


Programme had left 295 trainees without jobs. In April and May, 98 reserve list applicants were found a job with a further 138 allocated the following month. The remaining posts have now been allocated more than two weeks


ahead of schedule after the UKFPO ran an additional batch allocation. UKFPO national director Professor Derek Gallen welcomed the move and said it meant all trainees would be ready to start their foundation training on time.


FUNDING BOOST FOR


TRAINEE INITIATIVES AN APP to help confused patients and a tablet- based surgical training kit are among nine trainee-led projects to receive funding from Health Education England. A broad range of programmes led by trainee


doctors shared the £100,000 cash pot as part of HEE’s Inspire Improvement project under its Better Training Better Care programme. Among the winners was the educational and


bedside “Confusion App” from Selina Sangha and Christy Gardner of North Cumbria University Hospital


Trust, while Mohsan Malik and Ali Bahson of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Trust devised a mobile, tablet-based surgical training kit. Tim Robbins, Petra Vojtechova and Shirish Dubey of University


Hospital Coventry and Warwick NHS Trust aimed to improve patient safety during the August changeover with their “Avoiding Grey Wednesdays” shadowing and peer mentoring project. See the full list of winners at www.tinyurl.com/cbbdj7m


PHOTO: ETIENNE MENEAU DRINK FROM THE VEIN


FRENCH sculptor Etienne Meneau has created an unusual range of bio-tableware, including this eye-catching vein-shaped glass decanter which holds a full bottle of wine. Other pieces include drinking glasses inspired by the human heart. Anatomy fans can find out more at the-strange-decanter.blogspot.com or order directly from strangecarafe@gmail.com


TRAINEES CAMPAIGN FOR


SAFE SHIFT WORKING JUNIOR doctors have taken their campaign for safer shift working to the Scottish Parliament following a Channel 4 documentary highlighting the issue. Surgical trainee and chair of the BMA’s Scottish Junior Doctors


Committee Tom Berry was among those who met with politicians to discuss the issue. He was also featured in the documentary, broadcast in March, in which he demonstrated how the effects of a 10-day working pattern of shifts affected his ability to do even basic tasks. He said: “Much progress has been made to reduce working hours over the past 20 years and although the introduction of the European Working Time Directive has driven down the volume of hours that junior doctors work, it has also led to an increase in shift working patterns which can have risks for health and performance.” FY2 Ingrid Sepp also attended the meeting. She said: “Going from


nights to days twice in a two week period is exhausting. I usually find it takes me two weeks to feel human again after a set of nights.” The event was hosted by Labour shadow health minister Jackie Baillie


MSP. She said she was concerned by the issues raised, adding: “I have decided to ask for Audit Scotland to investigate the working hours of our junior doctors. We need an independent investigation to allow those with concerns to come forward and speak without fear of repercussions for their careers.”


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