the actual number of specialist doctor training posts available in the UK is 18,518 – not between 22,000 and 23,000 as the government had publicly indicated, the British Medical Association reported yesterday.
This means that up to 14,000 junior doctors will be left without jobs.
BMA analysis of figures on the Medical Training Application Service (MTAS) website shows that an estimated 32,000 doctors have applied for these posts, and although some of them are from overseas, it is inevitable that a large number of UK doctors will not have training posts in August.
The BMA said it has explored the possibility of seeking to halt the process on legal grounds, but has been advised that such a challenge would be unlikely to succeed.
Dr Jo Hilborne, chairman of the BMA Junior Doctors Committee, said: ‘Not only has the government failed to design a fair recruitment process, they’ve also misled everyone on the number of jobs available.
‘Even if the application system improves, thousands of doctors are going to find themselves without a training post in August.
‘We really don’t want highly qualified medical staff to be forced to leave the NHS, but if they can’t complete their training in this country, it could be their only option.’
Dr Tom Dolphin, deputy chairman of the BMA Junior Doctors Committee, added: ‘It’s a terrible waste of talent and public money but the government’s failure to plan the NHS workforce means that thousands of UK doctors aren’t going to get opportunities to train to become GPs and consultants.
‘At the moment there is very little in the way of a safety net for them.
‘We’re anticipating a huge upsurge in demand for our counselling and careers advice services.’
News Line contacted a BMA spokeswoman.
Asked if the BMA was going to take action to protect its junior members, the spokeswoman said: ‘We are taking action. We are lobbying the government very hard to secure improvements for junior doctors and continue to be concerned about the shortfall in posts available.’
Asked if the BMA would organise industrial action to secure a future for its members, the spokeswoman claimed: ‘You can’t take industrial action over this issue.’
