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MMC - background articles

Post CCT fellowships - Frequently asked questions April 2008
This document contains frequently asked questions about the proposals for post-CCT fellowship posts that are being discussed by the MMC programme board in the Spring of 2008 and explains the background, the BMA's views and some information about the proposals

Medical security breach is a scandal that must never be repeated - BMA 19 December 2007
The Information Commissioner’s Office has warned the Department of Health of possible future prosecutions following a security breach earlier in the year on the Medical Training Application Service website.

Counting the cost of a medical training disaster - press release 27 December 2007
Delivering his New Year message Dr Peter Terry, the leader of the BMA in Scotland warned that failing to address the problems facing recruitment to medical training could wreak havoc with the future of patient care.

Modernising Medical Careers 2008 – How this affects consultants
The process for the 2008 recruitment round and the number of training posts that the Department of Health will make available will be announced shortly. This letter is to outline some of the actions we advise all consultants to consider urgently.

Your training: the way ahead, 1 November 2007
This one-day conference on the interim report of the Independent Inquiry into Modernising Medical Careers is available as a webcast.

Most doctors oppose medical immigration plans, BMA research shows, 1 November 2007
The medical profession would oppose tighter restrictions on the employment opportunities of overseas doctors and medical students, one of the findings from a survey of BMA members on the recommendations of Sir John Tooke’s independent inquiry into medical training indicates.

Health Select Committee Inquiry into Modernising Medical Careers and its implementation, October 2007
The BMA's written evidence to the Health Select Committee's investigation into Modernising Medical Careers and its implementation through the Medical Training Application System.

BMA response to the Department of Health consultation on immigration, October 2007
The BMA believes that the timescale for consultation on this document has been insufficient and is extremely restrictive. The response has sourced opinion from all its main representational committees and its International Committee.

SJDC survey on future recruitment and selection to specialty training in Scotland - final report, October 2007
This Scottish Junior Doctors committee (SJDC) survey of juniors will contribute to evidence to a workshop hosted by NHS Education for Scotland to develop plans for future recruitment and selection in Scotland and will also inform future SJDC policy.

NIJDC survey on future recruitment and selection to specialty training in Northern Ireland - final report, October 2007
The Northern Ireland Junior Doctors Committee commissioned this survey on junior doctors' views on future recruitment and selection to specialty training in Northern Ireland, following the failed medical training application system (MTAS) and modernising medical careers (MMC) process in 2007. The information gathered from this survey will be used by NIJDC to gauge the view of junior doctors in Northern Ireland and will also inform future NIJDC policy.

Future recruitment to academic training: suggestions by the BMA Medical Academic Staff Committee, September 2007
An outline of the next steps which are critical to improving recruitment to academic training in 2008.

Department of Health consultation on MMC, 12 September 2007
The Department of Health has issued a consultation to a wide range of stakeholders, including the BMA. The document may be reviewed here and your comments posted

Note from the MMC Programme Board, 18 September 2007
A summary by the BMA representatives of discussions at the latest meeting of the MMC Programme Board (England).

Essential information to consultants in England from the BMA regarding preparation prior to 1 August 2007
Suggested actions the Consultants Committee would recommend consultants take over the coming weeks to try to smooth the transition into Modernising Medical Careers, and minimise adverse effects on services and on consultants' own working lives.

Note from the MMC Programme Board (England), 23 August 2007
Informal notes prepared by those BMA representatives at the Board – the official minutes will be published by the Department of Health in due course.

Reminder - supporting professional activities for training junior doctors during the August changeover, 23 July
It is vital that consultants have enough time and resources in your Job Plan to fulfil commitments to training. It is particularly important that you ensure you have an adequate number of Supporting Professional Activities (SPAs).

Clinical academic training: a lost opportunity, June 2007
The Medical Academic Staff Committee sought the views of doctors on academic training applications following round 1 in order to inform their submission to the Tooke inquiry. A copy of the MASC response Clinical Academic Training: A Lost Opportunity and the full BMA response may be seen here.

Independent inquiry into Modernising Medical Careers: Evidence from BMA Scotland, 20 June 2007
Evidence on the structure and implementation of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC), with particular reference to Scotland, given to the independent inquiry chaired by Professor Sir John Tooke. The evidence supplements that submitted by the BMA on a UK basis, which BMA Scotland supports and endorses.

Training issues concerning Northern Ireland junior doctors, April 2007
A letter to members of the local assembly from the chairman of the Northern Ireland junior doctors committee, expressing the committee’s serious concerns about the implementation of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) and the Medical Training Assessment Scheme (MTAS).

Medical Training Application Service (MTAS) and annual leave for consultants, April 2007
As a result of the MTAS difficulties, a trust is threatening to cancel already agreed annual leave for consultants so that they will be available to take care of patients during the transition period in August. The CCSC believes that such action in unhelpful and detrimental.

Update on Academic Clinical Fellowships and MTAS, April 2007
Although it was intended that Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF) posts commencing in 2007 would be advertised and appointed locally before the main round of recruitment to specialty training, a number of ACF posts were included in the MTAS computer application system.

Academic training applications following the first round of MTAS recruitment, 20 April 2007
Information for candidates to academic specialty training in England and Wales following the first round of recruitment through MTAS. It covers problems resulting from the inclusion of Academic Clinical Fellowship posts in MTAS; next steps for recruitment and selection to Academic Clinical Fellowships; the uniform scoring process that will be used to support re-shortlisting of academic applications; the specialty, number and location of posts available in MTAS; contact information for each Deanery with academic training opportunities.

Modernising Medical Careers and recruitment to Specialty Training posts in Northern Ireland
A Parliamentary briefing note summarising the position on MMC and recruitment to Specialty Training posts in Northern Ireland, published in April 2007.

Medical Training Application Service (MTAS) guidance, March 2007
Guidance for consultants involved in shortlisting and interviewing for Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) posts

Department of Health guidance on doctors with limited leave to remain, February 2007
Following the outcome of the recent Judicial Review there were concerns about its implications for the current recruitment for Specialty Training. The Department of Health has announced that these immigration rules will be held in abeyance for Round 1.

A career in academic medicine, January 2007
Guidance on academic MMC posts commencing in 2007 and information for trainees considering applying to academic foundation programmes, academic clinical fellowships and clinical lectureships.

Serious problems with medical training reforms, BMA warns - press release, 12 January 2007
There are serious problems with the Implementation of reforms to doctors' training, the BMA warns as the timescale for applications for new specialist posts is announced.

Update on Modernising Medical Careers - January 2007
This is an update on developments in Modernising Medical Careers as the application process is launched from the BMA junior doctors committee

MMC – BMA welcomes specialist post increase, but concerns remain, press release, 13 December 2006
Dr Andrew Rowland, vice-chairman of the BMA’s Junior Doctors Committee, comments on an announcement from the Department of Health that there will be at least 18,000 places for doctors entering specialist training in England in 2007.

Modernising Medical Careers update, October 2006
An update from the BMA Junior Doctors Committee highlighting what the committee considers to be the problems that need to be urgently addressed before the recruitment process in 2007 can go ahead. This document should be read in conjunction with the JDC's call for a delay to the Modernising Medical Careers reforms.

Modernising Medical Careers – reasons for delaying implementation, October 2006
This document explains why a delay is needed in the implementation of Modernising Medical Careers, calls for information from those charged with implementation and sets out how the JDC envisages a delay would work. It was written in September 2006 to complement the fuller version of the call for a delay and updated in October 2006.

New junior doctor training posts, press release 29 September 2006
The BMA’s Deputy Chair of the Junior Doctor’s Committee, Dr Tom Dolphin comments on the Government’s announcement that there will be up to 23,000 junior doctor training posts in the UK next year.

Patient care could be affected by interview process for new junior doctor jobs, BMA warns - press release, 20 December 2006
The quality of NHS patient care could suffer because reforms to doctors’ training are being rushed through, the BMA warns.

Modernising Medical Careers update, December 2006
The Education and Training Team have been working tirelessly to communicate with the MMC Team and influence MMC’s implementation wherever possible. This update gives details of the latest situation, and now includes a link to the interview schedule published by MMC and the PMETB trainee survey

Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) and consultants, December 2006
MMC which will introduce significant changes to the way in which junior doctors are recruited and trained - those who deliver training, lead or provide services will need to prepare. This page will give key information and links as a reference point for the most current information.

Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) transition to Specialty Training: Response from the Chief Medical Officer, 22 November 2006
A response to the letter of 18 September from the Chair of the Scottish Junior Doctors Committee outlining the Committee's serious concerns about transition to Specialty Training.

Modernising Medical Careers – reasons for delaying implementation, October 2006
This document explains why a delay is needed in the implementation of Modernising Medical Careers, calls for information from those charged with implementation and sets out how the JDC envisages a delay would work.

Modernising Medical Careers in Scotland, October 2006
Background briefing on progress to date on implementing MMC in Scotland. including a timeline and glossary of terms.

Modernising Medical Careers transition to specialty training: Letter from the Chair of Scottish Juniors to the Chief Medical Officer, 18 September 2006
A letter from the Chair of SJDC setting out the Committee's serious concerns about the transition to Specialty Training under Modernising Medical Careers.

MMC framework link, February 2006
A link to the document 'MMC explained' on the Modernising Medical Careers website. This is the MMC's explanation of what the new career framework will look like with definitions of the various stages of training, plus guidance and FAQs for existing SHOs and those completing F2 pilots, and information about selection to specialist and general practice training.

Train not drain - national media coverage
A selection of newspaper articles, cuttings and broadcasts covering the MMC issue from September - October 2006.

Role models in academic medicine, December 2005
A report produced by the BMA in response to the debate over the recruitment and retention crisis in academic medicine. In order to inspire the next generation of medical academic staff, more visible academic role models are needed. This report is being published to put some examples of ‘role models’ clearly in the public domain.

The shape of specialist training - aspirations for seamless progression, February 2005
The JDC has proposed a model that will ensure continuous progression for those with both firm and less certain career intentions.
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Walport Committee recommendations, January 2005
The Academic Careers Sub-Committee of Modernising Medical Careers and the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (Walport Committee) draft report, with its recommendations for training the researchers and educators of the future.

Junior Doctors Committee policy on Modernising Medical Careers, May 2004
This policy statement and call for action on Modernising medical careers was made at the 2004 Junior Doctors Conference.

Modernising Medical Careers - consensus statement, March 2004
A consensus statement reached at the Modernising Medical Careers Trainees’ Forum.

Proposal for an academic component of the Foundation years programme under Modernising Medical Careers, March 2004
Comments from the Medical Academic Staff Committee on proposals in Modernising Medical Careers for clinical academics

Junior Doctors Committee policy on Modernising Medical Careers, June 2003
The drive to improve the Senior House Officer (SHO) grade is welcomed, as is the Modernising Medical Careers process and the majority of its content.

Junior Doctors Committee policy statement on modernsing medical careers April 2003
This is the policy statement on Modernsing Medical Careers agreed by the Junior Doctors Committee at its meeting in April 2003