The state of medical education and practice in the UK

A critical juncture

We have reached a critical juncture. In this chapter we highlight our concerns about the pressures doctors are facing. And we make the case for a workforce strategy to make sure the progress of the last 70 years, since founding of the NHS, does not stall. 

While the pressures are widespread, we need to learn from places where they have less severe impact. Doctors are telling us what changes they need. We must all work together to make them happen.

Read:    A workforce strategy    |    Full report      |     Executive summary      |     Welsh executive summary

Supply

In this chapter we look at the make-up of the medical register, and how trends differ across primary and specialist care, and across the four countries of the UK. We also examine a number of worrying trends that will affect the future sustainability of the workforce if action isn’t taken to address these now. 

New independent research finds that many doctors are already changing their work patterns, or leaving the profession, to step away from the heavy workloads and pressures of the medical frontline.

Read:    The medical workforce    |    Full report     |    Executive summary    |    Welsh executive summary

Supporting doctors

We explore the realities of modern medical practice in this chapter. And examine findings from new independent research on the strategies and mechanisms that doctors across the UK are using to cope with working in pressurised environments.

Find out more about the action we’re taking to address the issues that have been raised with us by doctors in all four countries of the UK, to support a profession under pressure.

Read:    Supporting doctors    |    Full report     |    Executive summary    |    Welsh executive summary

Standards and fairness

In this chapter we examine the measures we're taking to make sure high standards are maintained, and to relieve the burdens doctors are facing. We look at how we support all groups of doctors to achieve high standards, and particularly how they can realise their potential during training.

We also look at our latest fitness to practise data. And update on the work we’re doing to reform our processes to make sure they’re fair to all doctors referred to us by employers and others.

Read:    Standards and fairness    |    Full report     |    Executive summary     |     Welsh executive summary

A sustainable workforce

As the organisation responsible for regulating the medical education and practice of doctors, in this chapter we describe how we stand willing to use our data, insights and regulatory levers to do all we can to tackle the challenges we’re seeing in our health services today. 

But while we have a strong contribution to make, we can’t do it alone. We set out the contribution that we can all make to improving the supply of doctors, and retaining those we’ve already got. 

Read:    A sustainable workforce    |    Full report     |    Executive summary    |     Welsh executive summary

Data tables

This year we are again publishing online a large set of reference tables, which summarise the source data used as the basis for many parts of this year’s report. These tables comprehensively cover our data relating to the register, medical education, and fitness to practise. 

Adapting Coping Compromising data tables (by demographics)

What it means to be a doctor

Reference tables