GMC Report Highlights Concerns Of Junior Doctors

The NHS and other healthcare providers must act quickly to investigate claims made in new research that a number of junior doctors feel out of their depth and have fears over patient safety in general, according to medical negligence specialists at Irwin Mitchell.

A study by the General Medical Council (GMC) found that around 8,000 junior doctors felt they had been asked to deal with problems beyond their level of experience.

In addition, five per cent of the 51,000 trainees polled also stated that they had concerns over patient safety in relation to the sites where they trained. The GMC has since stated that this may mean there could be “significant issues” at hospitals across the UK.

The release of the findings has come just weeks before the latest batch of junior and trainee doctors are introduced to their working environments.

Irwin Mitchell’s medical law and patients’ rights team represent victims who have suffered serious injury as a result of errors and treatment problems in hospitals, as well as the families of those killed in such incidents.

Lisa Jordan, a specialist in clinical negligence at the national law firm’s Birmingham office, said: “It is absolutely vital that junior staff are given the support and guidance they need to become fully integrated into the hospital environment and carry out their duties in the best possible manner.

“This research raises deeply worrying concerns that, in some cases, this may not be the case and we would urge the NHS and other health providers to carefully consider how training standards can be improved to prevent anyone from feeling out of their depth.

“Great trust is placed in medical professionals so it is vital that they are always able to provide the service which is expected of them.

“It is also vital that consideration is given to the concerns raised about patient safety in some cases, as it is fundamental that the welfare of those in treatment is always considered as the highest priority.”