Almost 700 medical students across the UK have no idea where they will have their first job as a doctor this summer.

Whilst thousands of final year students do know which hospital they’ll be going to, almost 700 have instead been given what are known as ‘placeholder’ positions. This means that although they have a job as a foundation doctor, they will not know the exact location until a short time before their start date in August.

They have been told which medical deanery (the local medical education and training boards) they will be in but they often span huge geographical areas, or even entire devolved nations, in the case of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

When assigned a placeholder job, students are left in limbo for months – leaving them unable to make plans for where they will live. For those with caring responsibilities and families it can be an incredibly stressful time as they’re unable to plan for childcare and make the necessary arrangements to start their careers in medicine.

Chair of BMA council Prof Phil Banfield and officers from the medical students committee (MSC) have written to Wes Streeting asking him to take action¹.

Callum Williams and Elgan Manton-Roseblade, deputy co-chairs for education for the BMA’s medical students committee, said:

“This happens year on year: final year medical students facing months of uncertainty and stress, for some during their final medical exams, it is unacceptable.

“It's paramount that the DHSC commits now to giving students their programme details and work schedules at least 8 weeks prior to their start dates, in line with the resident doctor contract. They should also receive detailed and frequent communication, both locally and nationally.

“To prevent students in years to come facing this avoidable stress and anxiety the UK Foundation Programme Office must receive increased funding, so deaneries don’t have to scramble to find posts for new doctors. It’s also essential that UK medical school graduates must always be guaranteed a foundation programme post and be prioritised over graduates of non-UK medical schools.

“We’ve written to Wes Streeting to ask him to put steps in place to prevent this happening. It’s essential that we keep doctors in the NHS – and when this is a new doctor’s first experience with NHS employment it increases the risk that they’ll join so many of their colleagues in moving abroad, or leaving medicine entirely.”

Notes to editors

1. Letter sent from the MSC to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care can be found here.

The BMA is a professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK. A leading voice adocating for outstanding health care and a healthy population. An association providing members with excellent individual services and support throughout their lives.

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