NEWS: Doctors Warn of Training Post Shortage

Medics have urged the Government to expand the number of specialty training posts on offer in the NHS after warning about 20,000 doctors could miss out on places this year.

The British Medical Association’s resident doctors’ committee said it is a “scandal” that career progression is being hindered due to a lack of places.

Specialty training is the final phase for resident doctors who want to become consultants and allows them to gain experience in specific medical fields.

The British Medical Association (BMA) claims 4.7 applications were made for every post last year, up from a ratio of 1.9 in 2019, with the number set to rise again.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “This government is committed to building our own home-trained talent, improving opportunities for resident doctors, and training thousands more doctors, including specialists and consultants. We are tackling the issues that resident doctors are facing in partnership with the BMA. This summer, we will publish a refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to ensure the NHS has the right people with the right skills to deliver the care patients need.”