Priorities for Health: Medical academics
November 2006
Introduction
In August 2006, BMA Scotland conducted a survey of members to identify their priorities for health. Around 600 doctors from all branches of the profession responded to the survey and their priorities for academic medicine are reflected in this policy briefing.
Background
Doctors in academic medicine are leaders in healthcare improvement who contribute at a local, national and international level. Through a combination of teaching (medical and other healthcare students), research, and specialist clinical care, they perform vital functions for healthcare and the NHS.
However, Scotland’s internationally renowned reputation for its high medical academic productivity, with more medical research conducted per capita in Scotland than anywhere else in Europe, is in jeopardy as the number of medical academics is rapidly declining [reference 1].
There are currently 330 medical academics in Scotland [reference 2]. Ten years ago, medical academics accounted for 11 percent of the NHS consultant workforce. Now, however, they only account for eight percent [reference 3]. Since 2004, Scotland’s medical schools lost 6% of their clinical academic staff and over the last 12 months, Glasgow medical school alone saw a 12.8% drop in the number of clinical academic staff employed which has a negative impact on local service delivery [reference 4].
Academic medicine as a priority
Nearly 90% of doctors surveyed stated that the Scottish Executive should make a commitment to undertake more detailed workforce planning in Scotland. The current decline of medical academic numbers comes at a time when the number of medical undergraduates in Scotland is increasing; the very time when more medical academics are required.
Falling numbers will also adversely affect the NHS, not only with regard to the teaching of our future doctors, but research and treatment innovations in medical practice. It is important that the political parties consider this a matter of great urgency.
Medical academic numbers are in decline, not just because the number of posts are falling but because of disincentives for doctors to choose medical academic careers. These jobs are associated with heavy workload, lack of career stability, insufficient recognition of the value of teaching by universities and falling research funding. This is why investment in academic medicine is paramount.
Interventions
Investment in academic medicine needs to be prioritised and doctors must receive support for teaching and research activities. By doing this, the recruitment and retention of medical academics can be addressed which will be of benefit for the current, and future, NHS, research and doctors.
References:
1. Scotland’s Stem Cell Network. Scotland’s stem cell industry. (www.sscn.co.uk)
2. British Medical Association. Scottish Consultants Committee Annual Report. Edinburgh. 2006
3. British Medical Association. Priorities for Health. Edinburgh. 2002
4. Council of Heads of Medical Schools. Survey of Clinical Academic Staff Numbers in the UK's medical and Dental Schools: data update. London. May 2004
For more information contact:
BMA Scotland Public Affairs Office
Tel: 0131 247 3050/3052
Email: press.scotland@bma.org.uk