Specialist registrar grade will start on 1 December

The health secretary has confirmed that the specialist registrar grade, which was recommended in the Calman report on specialist medical training, will be introduced on 1 December in general surgery and radiology. Mr Stephen Dorrell said in a written parliamentary answer last week that the main specialty commissioning date would be 1 April1996 and he envisaged that all specialties would have begun the transition process to the new grade by 1 April 1997. Detailed guidance will be issued shortly to regional postgraduate deans so that they can organise the changes in the training programmes.

The minister reported that training standards would be overseen by the new specialist training authority of the royal colleges, which would be established shortly. As well as maintaining standards the authority will be responsible for awarding the new certificates of completion of specialist training.

Obtaining the certificate will entitle the fully trained doctor to be admitted to the specialist register, which will be kept by the General Medical Council. …