Colleagues we are facing a massive crisis. I have alluded to it over the past few years and the Faculty as well as the Association have chosen to adopt a head in the sand approach. The recruitment of SG's has dramatically dropped off and there is a massive exodus to primary care where the finacial remuneration is over 20K per annum more than in the hospital sector, with in my opinion considerably less stress.
The quasi acaedemics in the speciality who are shielded with SpR's will have a temporary reprieve. However vast numbers of DGH A&E departments will go to the wall. This is with the introduction of European Working Directives as well as the onset of the Foundation Year when the SHO post will be drastically changed.
The solution as I have alluded to over the past five years is to pay SG's a munimum of 70K per annum with a shop floor period of 30 hours a week, at least 10 to 15k per annum more than salaried GP's . If this is not implemented within 6 months the situation will be irreversible and at least 50% of the DGH A&E depts in the UK will be forced to close within the next 18 months.
The pendulum has swung away from the hospital sector and with the PCT's running the show, hospital medicine will dramatically die in the UK. It is the tail wagging the dog or the monkey controlling the oragan grinder, call it what you will but unless there is a massive sea change the speciality will die, finito, Kaput call it what you will.
Salaried GP VTS Docs are coming out of a 3 year rotation and moving into post where they work just over 4 days a week for 60K per annum. No on call or home visits, we are the mugs. AS yet I fail to see the slightest twitch from ur esteemed leaders in the speciality.
Best wishes
Danny McGeehan
|