Overview
- The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill would require foundation and specialty posts to be offered first to graduates from the UK and Republic of Ireland, with interview priority rules for specialty programs.
- Safeguards would prioritise some international medical graduates with settled status or significant NHS service, and certain EEA-country graduates would receive priority under existing agreements.
- Ministers cite applications rising from about 12,000 in 2019 to nearly 40,000 last year and a public outlay of roughly £4 billion annually to train doctors.
- The government promises 1,000 additional specialty training posts over three years and says competition would ease, but the BMA argues this will not create enough new roles.
- The BMA calls the bill a step forward and continues a reballot on further strikes through February 2, and the legislation’s commencement clause allows implementation to be paused.