Sandra Gidley Slams Government over Junior Doctor Debacle

12.00.00am GMT Thu 8th Mar 2007

Commenting on the Government announcement of a review into the Medical Training Application Service for junior doctors, Local MP Sandra Gidley said,

"There seems to have been a basic lack of forward workforce planning by the Department of Health. When this was introduced I voiced concerns along with many doctors that thousands of junior doctors could find themselves unemployed as a result of the new system, but the Government refused to listen.

"This review is too little too late. Yet again, the Government has rammed through reform in the NHS without testing it or bringing on board the people it would affect and been forced to backtrack when things go wrong.

"We now have many newly qualified doctors disillusioned with the system and on the verge of being driven away from this country.

"I am appalled at the shocking way in which the Government are treating the very same staff that can help them to achieve their agenda. With all the problems in the health system at the moment the Government should be working with the staff to sort these out and not alienating them and driving them away from the system

"Today the Liberal Democrats have tabled a motion in Parliament calling for action to restore confidence in the system

"This recruitment round must be suspended immediately in order to salvage any credibility in the process.

"At a time when people are waiting months to receive treatment and operations, it is simply unacceptable that many of the professionals who could be looking after them are instead being forced to look abroad for employment"

Notes to Editors

The Early Day Motion, which follows a Urgent Question tabled this morning but was not selected by the Speaker, was tabled today and reads:

Early Day Motion: Modernising Medical Careers

This House notes the decision of the Department of Health to carry out a review of the operation of the Medical Training Application Service following the widely reported chaos relating to the shortlisting and selection of junior doctors for interview for medical postgraduate specialty training, notes that concerns have been expressed over several months by the British Medical Association about the new on-line system which has not been piloted prior to introduction, notes that the IT system has been blighted with technical problems with the website crashing repeatedly and that there have been delays and confusion over the application process, notes that there is substantial evidence of significant numbers of highly qualified, able candidates not being shortlisted for any interviews whilst some others have been selected for interview for posts for which they have not applied and that the process cannot therefore be fair and meritocratic and is causing dismay and despair amongst junior doctors resulting in many considering applying for jobs abroad and calls on the Government to act on the recommendation of the British Medical Association to suspend the process until it can be demonstrated that it is fair and transparent and that appointments will be genuinely based on merit.