A new system for recruiting junior doctors has descended into pandemonium, staff leaders admitted yesterday.
The British Medical Association said the computer process for applying for posts had been blighted by technical problems and there were reports of staff without the necessary qualifications being invited to shortlist interviews.
Doctors who were expecting to receive interview dates last weekend are still waiting, according to the BMA. They said some had been offered interviews for jobs in the wrong medical field at too senior levels.
Now the BMA Junior Doctors Committee has written to Andy Kerr, Health Minister, and the heads of the other UK health departments, demanding a halt to the process to ensure all shortlisting is fair and consistent.
Dr Jo Hilborne, chairman of the BMA Junior Doctors Committee, said: "The future careers of thousands of doctors are at stake. The government has tried to rush through these reforms in a completely unworkable timescale and now we are seeing the consequences."
The old system for training junior doctors to become consultants or GPs, which involved working up a series of grades by applying for specific posts, has been scrapped this year. Under the new regime, Modernising Medical Careers, junior doctors who have completed two foundation years in medicine apply through a centralised clearing system to enter specialist training programmes. These can see them qualified in a minimum of five years.
With doctors who had started training under the old system, as well as newcomers, competing for places, concern about securing positions has been running high among young medics.
The BMA now estimates 30,000 junior doctors have applied for around 22,000 new UK specialist training posts.
Many doctors were unable to submit their applications by the deadline because of faults with the technology, according to the association.
A Scottish Executive spokesman said: "Staff have worked extremely hard to ensure that all applications for speciality training have been thoroughly assessed."
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