If you are a 'Brit'; prepare to be shocked!
Anyone living in the UK will know that our free health system (The NHS) is under huge pressure, with a lack of doctors (many are on strike), a lack of nurses (many are on strike), and a lack of money; even though they are given a record £180 Billion p.a.
But now I learn that the BMA itself (The British Medical Association, who govern all things medical), actually voted AGAINST more doctors and more medical schools. I quote.....
'Delegates at the annual BMA conference voted by a narrow majority to restrict the number of places at Medical Schools to avoid 'overproduction of doctors with limited career opportunities'. They also agreed on a complete ban on opening new medical schools'.
Prof David Sochart (Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon), from Manchester and Salford, warned delegates that in the current job climate allowing too many new doctors into the market would risk devaluing the profession and make newly qualified doctors prey to 'unscrupulous profiteers'. A glut of doctors would undermine competition and would therefore lower standards and ensure mediocrity, he claimed'.
Can you believe that? No wonder the bloody NHS is in such a bloody mess.
People talk of our 'broken NHS', but it's broken to, and from, its very core.
And people have the cheek to blame 'The Government';...... I despair!
Clearly the vote was entirely self-interest. The people requiring care will take the hit...again. There is a shortage of PCP's in the US too.
ReplyDeleteGoodness knows what they were thinking, but you're probably right; self interest!
DeleteFor heaven's sake Cro, don't just read what comes up on your feed, think "yup that fits my narrative" and post without doing any checking! This happened in 2008! The current restriction on the number of doctors being trained IS government set.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-62594141
Okay that is a year old.
Yes, it was a while ago, but the results are now being felt. It takes a while for idiocy to show results. Just read the transcripts.
DeleteLooks like my comments may be disappearing into spam!
ReplyDeleteNo. Just looked; nothing in spam. Can you repeat?
DeleteYes, thanks for checking!
DeleteYou have to consider that there may indeed be enough qualifying...but how many decide to go abroad for pastures green (and well remunerated) how many start and just can't hack it...
My own cousin who was a medical 'genius', went to Canada to practice. Sadly he was murdered there.
DeleteThe NHS is not free we pay for it from our taxes. It is only free at the point of delivery.
ReplyDeleteAnd sadly it won't be for long. Brown started the privatisation (PFI), and it looks as if the BMA are continuing his aims.
DeleteThere is nothing new about restrictions on medical school enrollment - it has been a fact of life since I was looking at university courses half a century ago.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, an A&E consultant that I knew who was responsible for junior doctor training in one of our local hospitals was of the opinion that medical school places should be massively increased and junior doctors treated like other potential employees where they had to compete for training posts, and not have the effectively guaranteed for life employment in the NHS.
Junior doctors are 'trainees', yet want £40,000 for the pleasure.
DeleteSorry Cro, but that really is an ill-informed response.
DeleteWhich bit is ill informed? That they are trainees, or they want £40,000? I'm sorry to tell you, but both are true.
DeleteBut haven't junior doctors done years of study and qualifying already?
ReplyDeleteYes, and as 'junior doctors' they need to do another two years before they are fully qualified.
DeleteWe have two junior doctors working on 6 month placements at our local practice. Both have finished medical school, both have done 6 months working in a hospital, both are now doing 6 months working with a General Practice - they work long hours but both are so enthusiastic - delightful to talk to and to be part of their over all training. I would say doctors earn every penny they are given and are worked off their feet. They still have another year to go before they have finished their general training - then if they choose to specialise they have a long way still to go. We must not undervalue our medical staff - be it nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers.....
ReplyDeleteI have grown up with the NHS and value it more than you can imagine. I feel so sorry for its future as many of its employees seem to be doing their best to destroy it. The NHS is a jewel in the UK's crown, and we should defend it to the end.
DeleteBut more doctors could mean more GPs to open clinics in regioanl areas where there might otherwise be none available. We have a similar situation here in Australia where cities have "specialists" by the dozen, but regional areas can't get GPs because the pay isn't enough.
ReplyDeleteThis decision makes no sense other than to make doctors more 'exclusive', and therefore more 'expensive'.
Delete