DH may cut junior doctor posts to fund nurse training

A briefing document by NHS Employers outlines Department of Health proposals to cut central funding given to hospitals to cover the base salaries of junior doctors.

At present 100 per cent of a first year junior doctor’s base salary (£23,000) is funded by the DH in recognition of the fact that they require almost constant supervision and training.

But under proposals circulated to teaching hospitals last week, only 80 per cent would be covered.

Funding to cover the salaries of junior doctors in their specialty training years would be drastically cut from 100 per cent for years three and four to 40 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. The changes mean hospital trusts would have to make up the rest of the salaries themselves.

The changes are being made to free up funding to better fund training places for nurses, midwives and all other healthcare professionals.

Discussions on the changes to the way clinical training is funded are being led by Medical Education England, which was set up after the 2007 debacle over junior doctor training posts when the new Medical Training Application Service was introduced.

But a source close to Medical Education England said there were now concerns the proposals could “tip the balance” for some trusts, leading to them dropping training posts for some specialties or dispensing with junior doctors altogether.

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