Junior Doctor recruitment to be handled locally

It is looking increasingly likely that specialist training-post recruitment for junior doctors will be managed at a local level in 2008.

The Modernising Medical Careers programme board has agreed that recruitment should not be handled at a national level, following the various problems that dogged the Medical Training Application Service.

Doctors in the British Medical Association (BMA) have welcomed the decision, which is till subject to approval by ministers, but pointed out that fair system needs to be implemented for the long-term.

Ram Moorthy, chairman of the BMA junior doctors committee, said: "There remains a huge amount of work to do to ensure that the process is fair next year and beyond, and it's crucial that the Government continues to listen to doctors."

Last week, the BMA launched a careers service for doctors, which includes free medical careers information and guidance. Skills development workshops are to be held around the country and these will focus on interview techniques.

Source material: BMA.

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