Surgeons get their way?
It looks like the surgeons atleast have negotiated sensible changes to the training programme though the selection process is yet to unfold.
According to information confirmed by the Senate of Surgery / Royal College of Surgeons, the following have been agreed except for Oral & Maxillofacial surgery as well as Neurosurgery:
ST1 & ST2 to be fixed term appointments for 1 year.
ST3 onwards to be a run through programme, similar to what exists currently as the SpR grade.
Is this any different from current practice, except for contracts lasting a year instead of 6 months?
What will happen to those who do not gain entry to the ST3 programmes?
Do they get a chance to change specialty i.e. will there be a sufficient number of ST3 posts in other specialties for them to go to or are they doomed to FTSTAs / non-training posts?
A lot is left unclear & needs to be made known soon.
Via email communication finally received today, two days after the request:
At the meeting of Senate it was agreed to recommend to the MTAS review panel that for this year ST(1) and ST(2) would be fixed term one year appointments.
It will be for the review group to consider this recommendation.
Yours sincerely
B O Williams
Chairman, Senate of Surgery