To finally agree with a junior doctors strike

See the link below with regards to PLAB.

www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-our-registers/plab/recent-pass-rates-for-plab-1-and-plab-2

There has been a huge increase in the number of IMGs since 2020. I would expect a similar level of demand from IMGs in the next recruitment round despite talks of prioritisation of UKMGs. More IMGs than ever have done and passed both PLAB 1 & 2. I am not surprised that resident doctors are planning on striking again given all this uncertainty relating to their training. The number of IMGs taking PLAB2 have increased from over 3000 in 2020 to just under 20 000 IMGs in 2024.

Not sure what the situation is with the CREST forms. Presumably IMGs can still have them signed off overseas like last time? It's unfair to UKMGs and IMGs who are already working in the NHS if the recruitment cycle is still allowing this. Also this sort of signing off is open to fraud. It is better to have these signed off by people already working in the NHS.

I think the cap could have been set at three rather than five though.

But that wouldn’t leave much wriggle room going forward.

He really does not. Reform will be breathing down his neck about IMG applications and visas.

I’m sure that with the extra year’s experience your DS will be fine for 2026.

PurpleFairyLights the exact point is that nothing has blown up in his face. He holds all the cards.

DoH big picture? Huge UK doctor unemployment?

He is not a decent politician or a competent Health Secretary. The 10 year plan was promised in plenty of time before Oriel opens.

Of course I am furious that he has let the UKMGs down including my son. He has lost the doctors trust. He will regret that.

I hope he gets banished to the back benches. We need Peter Priestly as Health Secretary.

Talk is cheap and money buys houses.

That letter changes nothing. He has done nothing to prioritise UKMGs. The article is from 17th June promised priority for UKMGs. Why has he done nothing for 4 months when Oriel opens in 6 weeks for the 2026 application cycle?

A feeble letter on 23rd October when he promised UKMG prioritisation on 17th June. It is so obvious that he tried to get away with doing nothing about UKMG prioritisation but it blew up in his face yesterday.

www.doctors.net.uk/news/uk-medical-graduates-will-be-given-priority-for-nhs-jobs-streeting-says

If you are a doctor those sort of comments to @mumsneedwine could be seen to bring the profession into disrepute. Very unbecoming.

His letters are always made public. No change at all - standard.

No it wasn’t justified indeed it was completely unjustified. You chose to throw mud at Wes Streeting: he has never, at any point, said that the UK prioritisation would come ahead of the 10 year plan. No lies whatsoever. You’re cross because you wanted this change effected for the benefit of your DS - but the DoH is looking at the big picture.

Surely if a doctor that post could be seen to bring the profession into disrepute.

Please can someone name these useless medical schools accepting lower standards. I am happy to take to next meeting and let them know. No one seems to have a list ?

Will look as may have been something I was sent.

Love that I have some kind of vested monetary interest, would you care to explain @Sevillian or is it just yet another personal attack ?

Not sure I understand ?

@Marchesman but all Unis need AAA/AAA *. How are they accepting lower standards ? Oxbridge must deem UCAT worth the cost since they introduced it last year. I'm still unclear how standards have dropped. More students have been taken on, that does not mean standards have dropped, just that mire who have the grades can now be one doctors. And it's no longer a profession mostly open to the middle classes.

@mumsneedwine Was there a post on another thread about IMGs and NHS being charged? Or am I mistaken?

UCAT was devised when 70% of applicants had top grades to help differentiate between them, it was never intended to be a substitute for them. (Since Oxford and Cambridge (mostly) still take applicants with top grades it should not be surprising if they include it in their admissions processes.)

Consequently, we produce both great doctors and not great doctors.

The letter was written yesterday so I would not have been party to this information so me calling Wes Streeting a liar was justified.

I think he is useless. He promised UKMG prioritisation months ago but did nothing to sort it out in time for the 2026 application cycle. Oriel opens in December so he now has around 6 weeks to sort it out.

Why do you think the doctors are furious? Did he think they would be easygoing about UKMG unemployment? They believe he has done nothing for 3 months to sort out UKMG unemployment.

Why did that document surface yesterday? It looks like he has panicked when Pandora's box opened and showed the general public that we have UKMG unemployment while employing IMGs and granting visas for workers that are not needed due to lack of doctors jobs in the NHS.

You cannot flood any type of system without it being noticed at some point.

The 2026 stats are expected soon. I suspect the upward trend will have continued and be even more shocking than the 2025 figures..

I appreciate hearing both sides of the discussion as below but agree the personal insults are not required.

What are GMC sanctions ?

So you know better than the GMC and every Uni in the country ? Even Oxbridge use it now. Not sure how it's a disaster. We seem to be producing pretty great doctors, which the rest of the world love to employ.

I think the stat purple used that UKMGs make an average of 1.3 applications and IMGS make 6.3 supports the theory you need to apply in the first instance.

The belief that 20000 IMGS have taken jobs from UKMGS is not true because on that basis there are not 20000 actual individual IMGS but 20000 IMG applications, 20000/6 individuals. That statistic fits better with the ratio of applicant to posts which range from 1:1.3 in some specialiites to 1:6 in other more popular areas when actually broken down.

Some interesting reading from Sir Chris Witty. Not sure why it took an expensive review to conclude what me and @PurpleFairyLights (& many many others) have been saying 😊

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/the-medical-training-review-phase-1-diagnostic-report/

No, UCAT was brought in because of DEI, and it has been an unmitigated disaster because it is easier to game than academic attainment.

It bears no overall relationship to GMC sanctions - unlike academic attainment.