No time to train the surgeons: Medical profession must re-establish its independence from government

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7448.1133-a

BMJ 2004;328:1133 (8 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7448.1133-a

Letter

No time to train the surgeons

Medical profession must re-establish its independence from government

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Chikwe et al's description of surgical trainingin the United Kingdom is a damning indictment of the politiciansand medical leaders whose decisions have resulted in the presentshambles.¹ The content and duration of surgical training shouldhave been solely the responsibility of the Royal Colleges ofSurgeons. Instead politicians have sought to diminish the authorityof these colleges, as well as undermining the independence ofthe medical profession in general. Furthermore, they have adoptedEuropean working time legislation with no regard for its impacton medical training and continuity of care.

Senior medical figures are also culpable. Despite the currentcrisis the chief medical officer is trying to introduce an evenmore abbreviated form of consultant training. If successfulhe will further devalue postgraduate medical training in theUnited Kingdom. Elsewhere postgraduate deans have failed toaddress the obvious problems, and their current tinkering withthe junior . . . [Full text of this article]

Alan M Leaman, consultant in accident and emergency medicine

Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY5 7DP caleaman@doctors.org.uk