08 January 2008
NHS needs Director of Education, says RCS
The publication today of Sir John Tooke’s final report on medical
training is warmly welcomed by the Royal College of Surgeons of
England, who call on the Department of Health to appoint a Director of
Education who can take overall responsibility for medical training.
Selection for specialty medical training needs to take account of two
crucial factors. Firstly, it must give deaneries the information they
need to select the most able candidates. Secondly, it must enable young
doctors the best possible opportunity to choose a career path that fits
their skills and interests. The Tooke review has found that recent
reforms as part of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) fail on both
counts.
Bernard Ribeiro, President of the Royal College of Surgeons, said: “It
is in the interests of patients that trainees progress according to
ability, with only the best entering specialty training. Surgery
has unique requirements in terms of recruitment and trainees must be
able to demonstrate not only diagnostic skills and clinical judgment
but also manual dexterity.”
Mr Ribeiro also welcomed the report’s endorsement of greater
flexibility in run-through training: “Under MMC trainees are required
to make specialty choices far too early in their career without having
gained enough experience or the opportunity to experience ‘taster
placements’ in other related specialties they may subsequently
prefer. The College strongly favours training which allows a
greater freedom of movement between specialties.”
Bernard Ribeiro, President of the Royal College of Surgeons, said:
“This report must not be allowed to linger on Whitehall desks, its
recommendations must be acted on immediately. The unified voice of the
medical profession has overwhelmingly endorsed these recommendations
and this cannot be ignored. It would be unforgivable if arrangements
for specialty medical training were delayed or lost by being subsumed
into wider-ranging reform proposals for the NHS. A director within the
Department of Health holding overall responsibility for education and
training of medical staff is vital to ensure consistency and restore
the confidence of the profession.”
Notes to Editors
1. The Royal College of Surgeons of England is committed to enabling surgeons to achieve and maintain the highest standards of surgical practice and patient care. Registered charity number: 212808. For more information please visit www.rcseng.ac.uk.
2. If you have any queries please contact:
Matthew Worrall – Email: mworrall@rcseng.ac.uk; T: 020 7869 6047
Elaine Towell – Email: etowell@rcseng.ac.uk; T: 020 7869 6045
Out-of hours: 07966 486 832
