Student Doctor Numbers to Rise by 25%

Wednesday, 5th October 2016

In a speech at the Conservative Party conference on 4 October, health secretary Jeremy Hunt said he plans to create 1,500 more medical school places every year (up from 6,000) from 2018, a move he believes is essential given the ageing population.

Mr Hunt told conference delegates gathered in Birmingham that he was proud that "we've raised dementia diagnosis rates to one of the highest in the world" since 2010 but said “We need to prepare the NHS for the future, which means doing something we have never done properly before: training enough doctors".

Critics have responded saying that this plan ‘falls short’ of what the country needs and that it will be 2024 before any impact is felt from the changes: a medical degree takes five years to complete, followed by a number of year’s further training.

Mark Porter, BMA (British Medical Association) council chair, said “While it is welcome that Mr Hunt has finally admitted the Government has failed to train enough doctors to meet rising demand, this announcement falls far short of what is needed. This initiative will not stop the NHS from needing to recruit overseas staff. International doctors bring great skill and expertise to the NHS. Without them, our health service would not be able to cope.”

The rise in medical school places is expected to cost £100m by the end of Parliament, which the Government intends to make up by increasing fees for overseas students.

Nigel Edwards, chief executive of Nuffield Trust, said: “For decades, the NHS has failed to train enough of its own staff, so increasing the number of UK-trained medical staff is long overdue, despite the huge contribution made by overseas doctors which must continue to be recognised.”

Mr Hunt has hopes that his plan will result in more “home grown” doctors and fewer rota gaps, to provide a safer, more responsive NHS for years to come.

The future however, is fraught with difficulties. The impact of Brexit on EU doctors is uncertain; large numbers of current doctors are due to retire over the next five years (an estimated figure of 13,500) and a non insignificant number of doctors leave the NHS for other countries and opportunities. It is unclear whether the increase in medical students will have a significant impact.

For more information on the story visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37546360; www.homecare.co.uk/news; http://news.sky.com/story/jeremy-hunt-to-unveil-plan-for-tackling-nhs-doctor-shortages-10604819