Responding to today’s reports from the General Medical Council and the Royal College of Physicians of London, Prof Derek Bell, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said:
“The findings of these two reports are consistent with previous reports and provide further evidence that action needs to be taken now, at all levels, to improve the training experience of junior doctors in the UK.
“The ’Being a junior doctor’ survey raises serious concerns about the mental and physical wellbeing of junior doctors in the UK. While it is encouraging to hear that most feel valued by their clinical colleagues, and by those they care for, it is alarming that half of the doctors surveyed feel staff morale is so low it is affecting patient safety.
“The survey results from the GMC show that we must ensure that support is available to trainees as they progress in their careers. Our members tell us how important it is to feel part of a team, and how it can provide trainees with a valuable support network.”
Dr Katherine Walesby, Chair of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh’s Trainees and Members’ Committee, said:
“Trainee doctors are the future of medicine and their wellbeing and morale are important not just at an individual level but as a reflection of a functioning, sustainable and valued workforce that makes up the NHS.
“’The ‘Being a junior doctor’ survey highlights the day-to-day realities for many, including shifts without drinking enough water, a lack of physical resources such as spaces to eat, rest and study, and an excessive amount of administration. All of these factors combine to impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of trainees and we are seeing an impact on patient care.
“The GMC survey also highlights the workload pressures on trainees and how this can have a negative impact on the quality of their training. There are many positives to working as a medical registrar and we need to learn from and build on good examples from across the UK and beyond to ensure a quality work and supportive training environment and sustainable workload. We need to recognise and provide the right environment for trainees to work in. To care about safe patient care, we must also care about those delivering it. Only by doing this, and valuing the role of the trainee, will they be able to deliver the best patient care”.
A recent article in the Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Valuing trainee doctors – the future of medicine explored factors negatively affecting the wellbeing and morale of trainee doctors in the UK, from time and workload pressures to a lack of physical resources such as rest and study areas.
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Contact: Sara Collier, RCPE - 0131 247 3658 / s.collier@rcpe.ac.uk (link sends e-mail)
Notes to Editors:
