State of medical education and practice in the UK workforce report 2024.
Today (Thursday 28 November), the GMC has published its workforce report.
The report highlights that the overall headcount of doctors rose in the last year at the fastest rate since the report began over a decade ago with locally employed doctors (LED) growing much faster than others.
The growth in headcount marks an increase in doctors joining from abroad, principally from India and Pakistan. For those joining from abroad, the GMC says ‘concerted, sustained efforts’ are needed to provide the inductions, integration and inclusion which is vital for doctors to thrive in the UK. The regulator states that the roles are too often poorly defined with limited opportunities for career progression and training, and many are employed in short-term and non-permanent posts.
Charlie Massey, Chief Executive of the GMC said:
‘Locally employed doctors have a lot to offer our health service. But too often they find themselves in roles without proper access to the education and training they need to develop their skills. Without changing the way we think about training, the UK risks sleepwalking into a situation where these doctors are overlooked and undervalued, to the detriment of good patient care’.
The report shows that doctors in GMC-approved training roles are also under pressure and need greater support as many have reported unsustainably high workloads with one in four at the risk of burnout.
NHS Employers continues to work with the GMC and other stakeholders on the topics within the report, including locally employed doctors, international medical graduates and the medical workforce race equality standards.
Access the full report: The state of medical education and practice in the UK Workforce report 2024.
