The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill has received Royal Assent and passed into law.
The legislation will prioritise UK medical graduates for foundation training places. The Act will also prioritise UK medical graduates, along with other doctors with “significant NHS experience”, for specialty training places.
Professor Subodh Dave, Dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:
“We know that growing interest in psychiatry is contributing to high competition for training places and have been calling for measures that ensure talented medical graduates are supported to pursue a career in our speciality for some time. After decades of underfunding, expanding the psychiatric workforce is of the utmost importance, particularly considering we have seen such a significant rise in demand for mental healthcare in recent years.
“It is positive to see that the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act will help secure training posts for UK medical students and foundation doctors. Its introduction represents a substantial development for doctors entering psychiatric training. The UK offers some of the most respected psychiatric training programmes in the world, and it is vital that we continue to attract talented doctors and support them throughout their careers. Retention must also remain a priority and ensuring that those who complete their training are encouraged to stay and work in the NHS is equally important.
“Although the Act is ready to be implemented, many practical questions remain and we recognise the distress this uncertainty may cause for International Medical Graduates (IMGs). We are pushing for clarity on how the legislation will impact them and clarification regarding the meaning and interpretation of “significant experience” working for the NHS. IMGs make up 40% of the psychiatric workforce and play an integral role in the UK health system so it is essential that they are treated fairly and given reliable information about what this will mean for them. As soon as further guidance is available, we will provide members with clear updates and information to help them navigate the changes.
“In the meantime, we have updated our FAQs and would like to remind all our members who are affected of our Psychiatrists' Support Service, which provides free, rapid, high quality peer support to psychiatrists of all grades.
“Our priority is to ensure that all doctors training in psychiatry in the UK have a stable, well-resourced route through their training and a fulfilling career.”
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Twitter: @rcpsych
- Out-of-hours contact number: 07860 755896