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Junior Doctors: Career Structure

Volume 459: debated on Wednesday 18 April 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is responsible for the implementation of the modernising programme for junior doctors. (124718)

The four United Kingdom Health Departments are responsible for the overall implementation of modernising medical careers. The Health Departments co-ordinate action through a United Kingdom modernising medical careers strategy group which includes members from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the General Medical Council, the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) and national health service employers. Each country also has a dedicated implementation team.

The Royal Colleges are directly responsible for developing the new competency-based curricula which are approved by PMETB. The Royal Colleges also work closely with postgraduate deans over the development of person specifications for the recruitment process and the postgraduate deans themselves oversee selection into posts.

The number of training opportunities available in 2007 was based on local discussions between local NHS employers, strategic health authorities and postgraduate deans.