Welcoming plans to improve the working lives of doctors

The Academy Trainee Doctors Committee (ATDC) has been focusing work on the REFORM principles aimed at improving the working lives of doctors in the UK. The committee has trainee representatives from all 24 medical royal colleges and faculties and co-opted members including the BMA JDC.

Today, NHS England published an important step forward for addressing the experience and retention of doctors in the NHS with a personal commitment for all NHS Trust CEOs requested. These proposals were developed in roundtable sessions with Amanda Pritchard present throughout, highlighting the importance given to addressing these long-standing issues.

The letter outlines an initial set of important changes dealing with increased agency and flexibility with better rota management and employment, reducing duplicative inductions and pay errors by streamlining and improving HR support and importantly creating a sense of value and belonging.

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There are many fundamental changes which will affect the lives of working doctors greatly such as, ensuring flexibility of leave cover from employers, reimbursement directly by the NHS for courses, improving payroll processes and MOU for cross provider acceptance of learning till the digital staff passport is introduced.

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Going forward there is a commitment to address the considerable issues around recruitment bottlenecks, the need for rotation, exam burden and training reform which will require collaborative work between NHS England, GMC and medical royal colleges and faculties. It is key that all elected trainee representatives have unimpeded and robust input in this process shaping the future in their relevant specialty areas.

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As chair of the ATDC I fully support the principles contained within the document and the commitment to address the wider issues. It is vital to the future of the health service to have valued & supported doctors who want to work in the NHS and continue to provide the best care possible to patients.

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