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Medical Training Application Service - Policy statement from the Junior Doctors Committee (JDC)
10 March 2007
That JDC:
- Notes that the MTAS process and administration thus far has been fatally flawed, making it unacceptable for the appointment of junior doctors who feel disenfranchised and betrayed by the process;
- Has grave concerns regarding the conduct of MTAS and therefore resolves to seek out an independent professional legal opinion as to grounds for a legal challenge against MTAS.
JDC welcomes the opportunity to allow Remedy UK a chance to join JDC in high-lighting the injustices of MMC and the failures of the MTAS recruitment system which have led to widespread confusion and upset amongst Junior Doctors across the UK, and agrees to walk alongside them in the ‘March for March’ on March 17th’s peaceful protest; highlighting the work of JDC and the BMA in successfully negotiating concessions through our Case for Delay and continuing to do so through our ongoing negotiations.
This meeting calls for a halt of the specialty training MTAS application and appointment process for hospital specialties for August 2007 and for the old appointment system to be reinstated until a review has been fully conducted and a transparent and robust application and appointment system has been put in place.
The JDC welcomes the DH finally accepting our long-held concerns regarding MTAS. We, however, believe that immediate independent review of MMC and MTAS should take place to ensure that the medical profession and public can regain confidence in the selection and training of doctors.
As a reference:
That JDC believes that whilst an improvement in medical training infrastructure is required and whist MMC has many merits, the current working model of MMC is still fatally flawed because:
- It unfairly penalises many doctors who through no fault of their own will be unable to train to be consultants in the UK;
- It restricts entry to the training programme on the basis of ‘too much experience’; and
- It does not suit all specialties equally and needs wider consultation, refinement and adjustment to be made in order for it to suit different specialties.