Workforce planning. Remote control

Abstract

The current system of medical manpower planning fails to balance doctors' training requirements with the demands of the NHS. Urgent action is needed to avoid a manpower crisis. Specialist registrars regularly have to leave their hospitals for training sessions, forcing the cancellation of sessional work. Hospital medicine is relying heavily on locums and doctors from abroad. Consultants should be given the junior support they need in order to provide a proper service, possibly through increasing the time spent at senior house officer level.