Supplementary evidence submitted by the
Royal College of Surgeons of England (WP 28A)
The Royal College of Surgeons of England submitted
a memorandum of evidence for the Health Committee's Inquiry into
Workforce Planning on 15 March 2006 and the President, Bernard
Ribeiro, subsequently gave oral evidence to the Committee on 29
June 2006.
The College has since been invited to submit
supplementary evidence relating to cuts in the Multi-Professional
Education and Training (MPET) levy and the effect on medical training
opportunities. One element of this financial allocation, the Medical
and Dental Education Levy (MADEL), relates specifically to postgraduate
medical and dental education and training.
The College is aware of reports from various
parts of the country indicating average cuts to these budgets
in the order of 10% that are being imposed by Strategic Health
Authorities and Trusts in addressing their operating deficits
for the current financial year. Contrary to general belief, this
funding has not been ringfenced and the College and other professional
bodies are concerned that there may be recurring raids on it.
The impact of such reduced funding, that affects everything from
recruitment into training posts to clinical supervision, education
programmes and study leave allowances, may be incalculable. Many
highly motivated doctors, trained at considerable public expense
to embark on specialist surgical training, will be deprived of
this opportunity and see their career plans ended, while others
who may progress will find it difficult to attend courses to learn
new skills and develop their technique. Training and standards
of patient care and safety will inevitably be compromised.
It is essential that patients, health service
managers and politicians are aware, as are health professionals,
of the damage that reckless erosion of medical education budgets
will do to training today and standards of care and safety tomorrow.
The previous funding levels should be reinstated and these budgets
should be ringfenced without delay.
Bernard Ribeiro CBE
President, The Royal College of Surgeons of England
10 January 2007
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