Prof Derek Bell, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said:

 

“The RCPE has noted the Secretary of State for Health’s letter to the BMA in relation to the trainees’ contract.

“The College - and the trainees and members we represent across the UK – has been expressing concern in recent weeks over the proposed imposition of a new contract for trainees in England.  This situation has done nothing for doctors’ morale across all professional levels.

“As always, the devil will be in the detail but it is essential that a contract is achieved that promotes patient safety while delivering fairness and equity for junior doctors. It must ensure that those trainees going out of programme, for example, to undertake academic research or to take parental leave, are not disadvantaged. Furthermore, we must ensure that gender equality in the workforce is achieved.

“It also needs to be recognised that trainees are under increasing pressure, which the proposed changes would have only added to, undermining patient safety in the process.

“We hope that a contract can be agreed that is in the best interests of patients and trainees. Only in doing so, will we begin to address the feeling that the profession is being devalued and the growing recruitment and retention crisis that we face in the NHS.”

ENDS

Contact: Lisa Rooke, RCPE - 0131 247 3688 / 07717 895628 / l.rooke@rcpe.ac.uk

Notes to Editors

  1. The Secretary of State for Health’s letter is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-secretary-jeremy-hunt-writes-to-jdc-chair-johann-malawana