You’d think that given the generally collapsing state of primary care in the NHS that newly-qualified doctors would be snapped up. And treated like a rare commodity…
A weird set of reforms, seen through in the dying days of the Tory government, is however now coming into practice. New doctors are being made to wait for weeks to hear where in the country they will be posted after a randomised system was introduced – for progressive purposes. The BBC reports:
“Previously, students were ranked and jobs were allocated based on merit, but this was changed for fear it was stressful for students and particularly unfair on those from deprived backgrounds and ethnic minorities. They tended to perform less well, and therefore were more likely to be posted to regions they did not favour, according to the UK Foundation Programme.”
Now new doctors are spending weeks trying to find housing and set up lives in random cities, with many forced into temporary accommodation. There are fears the new lottery system will incentivise UK trained doctors to move abroad or quit: the BMA says nearly a third of current medical students say they intend on working abroad, “and close to half of those say they do not plan to return.” Genius…
Andy Haldane, Burnham’s recent adviser on the economy who has not taken up a No10 job, told Andrew Marr on LBC:
“The market now suspects that this is a traditional tax-and-spend socialist government with better TikTok videos…
imposing windfall taxes on oil & gas or on banks or upping capital gains tax would […] repeat the mistake that Rachel made […] The Achilles heel, the fiscal Achilles heel of this government thus far has been its unwillingness and/or inability to cut public spending.”