Doctor recruitment process should be ‘transparent and fair’

The Department of Health has announced the findings of an independent review group charged with investigating the process of selection for junior doctors. The group found that changes should be made to the procedure at each level, with full details to be published in the coming week.

Recommendations made in the review include the guarantee of an interview at the first or second choice training post for all eligible ST3 and ST4 applicants and the reviewing of ST1 applicants who have not been short-listed for any interviews, with these candidates offered an interview or career guidance and support.

Furthermore, the body calls for the offer of a face-to-face review of ST2 applicants that have not been short-listed for an interview for assessment, with these candidates also offered an interview in round one or career guidance and support for round two entry.

Lord Hunt, health minister, said: “The recruitment process needs to be transparent and fair so that we can get the best doctors trained and be supervised to the very highest standards.”

He added that the recommendations made by the independent review group marked a significant enhancement to the recruitment process, with over 5,000 more doctors being considered for selection as a result of these changes.

Last month, Dr David Colin-Thome and health secretary Patricia Hewitt argued that the role of family doctors should be expanded to include services previously conducted only in hospitals.