Government's response to the Tooke inquiry into Modernising Medical Careers

doi:10.1136/bmj.39517.456748.80

BMJ 2008;336:571-572 (15 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.39517.456748.80

Editorials

Government’s response to the Tooke inquiry into Modernising Medical Careers

Lacks a sense of urgency and an explicit timetable

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

Unhappy at the Catholic Church’s sale of indulgences,Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the CastleChurch in Wittenberg. While Rome eventually responded to someof his criticisms, it did not move fast enough to stall theprotestant reformation.

At first glance, Sir John Tooke has been more successful thanLuther, with England’s secretary of state for health immediatelyagreeing to half his 47 recommendations to reform postgraduatemedical education and training.¹ ² ³ (Responses from Scotland,Wales, and Northern Ireland are awaited.) However, the vaguenessof the government’s timescale for implementation has leftevery spokesperson for the medical profession—startingwith Sir John himself—unhappy. The government might wantto reflect on the lessons of that church door.

Of Tooke’s 23 other recommendations, four are mattersfor other organisations, two are being considered as part ofLord Darzi’s next stage review of the NHS in England,and seven are . . . [Full text of this article]

Tony Delamothe, deputy editor

¹ BMJ, London WC1H 9JR

tdelamothe@bmj.com