Junior doctor dispute may have lasting impact on NHS, researchers say

The dispute over the contract for junior doctors in England may have a long lasting effect on the NHS because it led many junior doctors to change specialties or defer training, researchers have said.

A survey of junior doctors’ career intentions found that many changed their career plans during the dispute. A report on the findings concluded that decisions made “in the heat of a turbulent time” could turn out to have “significant consequences.”1

Among those applying to train in general practice, 30% said that they had switched choice because of the new contract. In addition, those applying for acute care hospital programmes were significantly more likely to defer training than those applying for community care posts.

The …