Following the work of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine which has been led by Dr Taj Hassan, RCEM president and local EM consultant in Leeds Teaching Hospitals, the problems many departments have nationally in recruiting sufficient staff to deliver high quality emergency care to patients and their families has been recognised by Health Education England, NHS England and NHS Improvement. This committment to deliver sustainable save staffing levels in our emergency departments will both improve the care we deliver, and ensure our departments remain attractive places to work.

The strategy document can be accessed here.

The 2016 national contract for junior doctors was controversial at times, but the safeguards included should make working patterns safer with adequate rest periods. If trainees are finding they are needing to stay late for shifts or are missing educational opportunities then they should be exception reporting, as without adequate data the guardians for safe working will be unable to act on work schedules that are not meeting the educational needs of the trainees. The one benefit for EM trainees is the retention premia that is paid for trainees between ST4-6.

As a school we are committed to ensuring our local hospitals provide adequate training and supervision. You can feedback to us via a number of ways, including the trainee representatives, your clinical and education supervisors, via the relevant TPD. You are also required to complete a yearly trainee survery from the GMC which we can monitor the progress of our hospitals you are placed in.

You can read more information on the HEE website.