Scottish junior doctors committee

​The SJDC represents all doctors in training in hospitals and public health medicine practice in Scotland. Views from around the country are brought together to form national policy.

Our priorities

A single lead employer during training programmes

All junior doctors in training programmes in Scotland are now employed by one of four health boards for the duration of their training. This brings a number of benefits including less paperwork and fewer problems when moving post, and has been a long-standing priority for SJDC.

SJDC is now in discussion with Scottish Government and NHS Scotland employers to agree Scottish-level approaches on issues arising from the implementation of lead employer arrangements such as public holidays.

Rest periods after night shifts

SJDC has reached an agreement with the Scottish Government and NHS boards that, from August 2019, the rotas of all junior doctors will include mandatory 46-hour recovery periods after runs of night shifts.

Leave for significant life events

SJDC has reached an agreement with Scottish Government and NHS boards that junior doctors may now take annual leave for significant life events such as weddings.

Read the letter from the Scottish Government on leave for significant life events

48-hour working week

SJDC is represented on the expert working group considering the Scottish Government policy of a proposed maximum 48-hour working week (with no averaging) for junior doctors in Scotland. SJDC has raised concern over the impact of any implementation of this policy for junior doctors including health and wellbeing, education and training, and the continuity of safe and effective patient care.

SJDC continues to stress the need to consider not only the total hours of work, but rather that other actions need to be implemented aimed at minimising the risks of fatigue and overall junior doctor health and wellbeing, including the availability of rest and catering facilities.

Rota monitoring

SJDC continues to work with Scottish Government and NHS boards to improve the monitoring process and ensure the agreed joint monitoring guidance aimed at employers is adhered to. The guidance aims to remove barriers to accurately recording hours of work. The guidance has been sent to all NHS Scotland employers to help ensure that a fair and consistent approach is adopted.

Improving work-life balance for junior doctors

Supporting work-life balance should be given greater priority when rotas are being designed.

In some rosters, annual leave is allocated to junior doctors in set weeks. This is often referred to as 'fixed leave'. SJDC has reached agreement with Scottish Government and employers that from 1 August 2020, junior doctors will be notified at least six weeks in advance where any period of fixed leave remains in rotas. It is intended that, over time, the use of fixed leave becomes the exception, and that the increasing use of electronic rostering systems will assist NHS boards in achieving this aim.

Read the letter from the Scottish Government on fixed annual leave for junior doctors

Shape of Training review

Shape of Training is an independent review into the ways in which postgraduate medical training could be changed to meet the future needs of patients and health services. Consideration has been given to ways to increase flexibility and improve recruitment to specialty training, such as the introduction of alternative options for post-foundation/pre-specialty training posts. SJDC is monitoring this work closely and providing input through BMA Scotland and SJDC representation on the Scottish Shape of Training implementation group and the Scottish Shape of Training transition group.

Credentialing

The GMC has now confirmed that a small number of GMC-regulated credentials are to be developed in 2019 and will enter an approval process from September 2019.

SJDC continues to monitor the developments and discussions around proposals for the introduction of credentialing through BMA representation on the different Shape of Training groups and in discussions with GMC Scotland.

Read more about credentialing on the GMC website

Our people

Chair:
Alisdair Gilmour (supernumerary)

Deputy chairs:
Lailah Peel (responsible for negotiations)
Tim Gray (responsible for education and training)

Our meetings

We meet four times a year to discuss issues of key importance to doctors in training.

These meetings are open to members of the SJDC only. Non-voting committee members can also come along and participate as part of the BMA committee visitors' scheme.

Meeting dates:

• Tuesday 16 March 2021
• Friday 28 May 2021

All meetings will take place either virtually or at:

BMA Scotland
14 Queen Street
Edinburgh
EH2 1LL. 

Elections

Elections to the Scottish junior doctors committee are now closed.

The next elections will take place in 2021.

Get in touch

If you are interested in finding out more about the work of the SJDC, email us or [email protected].