GMC statement on removal of trainee doctors from Canterbury Urgent Care Centre

GMC Chief Executive Charlie Massey sets out the regulator's position on the removal of junior doctors from one of East Kent's sites

Charlie Massey, Chief Executive of the GMC, said:

‘There have been concerns about the quality of doctors’ training at Canterbury’s Urgent Care Centre for the past three years, ever since doctors raised their concerns with us through our national survey. The inspection that we carried out earlier this year with Health Education England showed training to be seriously below the standard that we require, with a shortage of senior clinicians supervising and supporting doctors in training making this an unsafe environment – both for doctors in training and their patients.

‘The trust has agreed with HEE that trainees should be moved from some medicine specialties at Kent and Canterbury Hospital to other sites within the trust by 19 June. The site will remain under enhanced monitoring until further notice and if there is evidence that appropriate and sustainable action has been taken to make the Urgent Care Centre a safe environment for doctors once more, we understand that HEE will review re-allocating trainees to the site.’