52% junior doctors face unemployment from tomorrow
British Medical Association research shows more than 30,000 doctors are applying for around 10,000 specialty training places
More than half of junior doctors in Essex and around the country are facing unemployment from Wednesday 6 August, according to British Medical Association (BMA) research.
After junior doctors, also known as resident doctors, complete their first two years of training, FY1 and FY2, they enter specialty training to become consultants or GPs.
However 52% of FY2 doctors surveyed by the BMA said they have no substantive employment after their roles come to an end on 5 August.
This is down to a lack of training jobs available, as research shows more than than 30,000 doctors are applying for around 10,000 specialty training places.
FY2, Dr Jessie Oliver, is of them:
"My colleagues and I are upset and worried about the lack of positions available to doctors.
"It's a complete misconception that doctors are always going to be employed, something I assumed when I first started out in this career."
"More colleagues of mine than not are going abroad to Australia or New Zealand because they can't find a job.
"I know so many people who have tried years in a row to get into speciality training programmes, and they just can't."
BMA co-chairs Dr Ross Nieuwoudt and Dr Melissa Ryan have called it "absurd".
"“With more than six million patients on waiting lists in England, it’s maddening that a third of resident doctors say they cannot get a job.
“Throughout this dispute, ballot and industrial action, one thing we have heard from our colleagues is the genuine fear and real worry about being able to secure a job in the future. These survey results show these fears realised.
"Across the NHS, this means potentially thousands of UK doctors are left in employment limbo when patients desperately need their care."
The BMA is calling for more training places as part of its ongoing dispute with the Government.
A Department for Health spokesperson said:
"This government has given resident doctors two above inflation pay rises in a row and we are committed to boosting their working conditions and jobs.
“We have always been open to discussion on career progression and doctor unemployment with the BMA, and want to resume constructive conversations, so urge the BMA to engage with talks in good faith.”