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| Junior doctors protest over jobs | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Junior doctors are marching in London and Glasgow to protest against a new on-line system for allocating specialist jobs. | |
| The system has been criticised as being "badly organised" and for cutting the number of jobs available. | |
| A government review last week recommended changes are made before the next round of interviews. | A government review last week recommended changes are made before the next round of interviews. |
| But doctors' leaders said not enough had been done to ensure a fair and efficient recruitment process. | But doctors' leaders said not enough had been done to ensure a fair and efficient recruitment process. |
| If the best doctors don't get through, it's not the best thing for the NHS as a whole, or for patients. Remedy UK spokeswoman 'I'm going to New Zealand' | If the best doctors don't get through, it's not the best thing for the NHS as a whole, or for patients. Remedy UK spokeswoman 'I'm going to New Zealand' |
| A protest group, Remedy UK, says the system called Modernising Medical Careers, involves a badly-run online application system and that the best doctors are not getting interviews for the best jobs. | A protest group, Remedy UK, says the system called Modernising Medical Careers, involves a badly-run online application system and that the best doctors are not getting interviews for the best jobs. |
| It adds that the changes the Department of Health has proposed will not significantly better the situation. | It adds that the changes the Department of Health has proposed will not significantly better the situation. |
| In addition, the doctors' group says, there are too few jobs. An estimated 28,000 UK trainees are applying for 22,000 posts. | In addition, the doctors' group says, there are too few jobs. An estimated 28,000 UK trainees are applying for 22,000 posts. |
| The Department of Health has already said there will be "significant" changes to the second round of interviews, which is due to begin in April. | The Department of Health has already said there will be "significant" changes to the second round of interviews, which is due to begin in April. |
| This will include allowing applicants to provide CVs and portfolios to support their applications. At present no CV can be included with an application form. | This will include allowing applicants to provide CVs and portfolios to support their applications. At present no CV can be included with an application form. |
| People who have already been refused will be able to have their applications reconsidered. | People who have already been refused will be able to have their applications reconsidered. |
| Faster training | Faster training |
| But a spokeswoman for Remedy UK said not enough had been done to answer doctors' concerns. | But a spokeswoman for Remedy UK said not enough had been done to answer doctors' concerns. |
| "This is about ensuring doctors get the right training. That's absolutely fundamental for patients' care. | "This is about ensuring doctors get the right training. That's absolutely fundamental for patients' care. |
| "Doctors agree. And they think there should be a competitive selection process - but it should be fair and accountable. This is a completely unfair system. | "Doctors agree. And they think there should be a competitive selection process - but it should be fair and accountable. This is a completely unfair system. |
| "If the best doctors don't get through, it's not the best thing for the NHS as a whole, or for patients." | "If the best doctors don't get through, it's not the best thing for the NHS as a whole, or for patients." |
| The BMA is supporting the march, and shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley will make a speech in London. | The BMA is supporting the march, and shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley will make a speech in London. |
| He said the NHS should, if necessary, revert to the conventional interview processes and tell the government they must make extra training posts. | He said the NHS should, if necessary, revert to the conventional interview processes and tell the government they must make extra training posts. |
| "We cannot, we must not, abandon thousands of junior doctors; we must ensure that they can fulfil their vocation, for them and for our patients." | "We cannot, we must not, abandon thousands of junior doctors; we must ensure that they can fulfil their vocation, for them and for our patients." |
| Doctors' training was revamped in 2005, with the aim of speeding up progress so juniors could reach consultant level in an average of 11 years, rather than the current 14. | Doctors' training was revamped in 2005, with the aim of speeding up progress so juniors could reach consultant level in an average of 11 years, rather than the current 14. |
| However doctors who have been through their initial stage of training under both the old and the new systems are all competing for a limited number of specialist training posts. | However doctors who have been through their initial stage of training under both the old and the new systems are all competing for a limited number of specialist training posts. |
| This is the point at which a doctor would select to focus on an area such as cancer medicine or paediatrics. | This is the point at which a doctor would select to focus on an area such as cancer medicine or paediatrics. |