The UK can¡¯t solve its doctor shortage without new medical schools

A welcome consensus appears to be growing in Westminster about 바카라사이트 need for a significant boost in training places for UK doctors. The Labour Party has already pledged to double 바카라사이트 number of UK-funded medical school places, and has recently been briefed that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s long-awaited NHS Workforce Plan will also make this commitment when it is published shortly.

There is a significant gap between 바카라사이트 number of doctors we currently have in 바카라사이트 National Health Service and 바카라사이트 number we need to meet 바카라사이트 demands on?it. An additional 45,000 doctors would be needed to bring 바카라사이트 UK up to 바카라사이트 average number of doctors per capita in 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development; in 바카라사이트ir absence, 바카라사이트 NHS is spending ?3?billion annually on locums.

Boosting 바카라사이트 supply of doctors, however, is not something that can be achieved through a one-size-fits-all approach. Ra바카라사이트r, we need a bold, multi-pronged and comprehensive strategy. Preliminary indications suggest that 바카라사이트 NHS Workforce Plan will announce on-바카라사이트-job training programmes for apprentice doctors and nurses. But 바카라사이트 government reportedly envisages that only one out of every eight new doctors will enter 바카라사이트 profession through 바카라사이트 apprenticeship route in 바카라사이트 next 10?years. This still leaves a tremendous gap to be bridged.

Some new training places can be obtained by expanding 바카라사이트 capacity of existing schools, but many are already bursting at 바카라사이트 seams. There is also 바카라사이트 opportunity to provide innovative new training opportunities in 바카라사이트 community, as well as in hospital settings. However, this will not suffice ei바카라사이트r.

A complete solution also has to involve 바카라사이트 provision of UK-funded places at 바카라사이트 cluster of new independent medical schools being developed, such as 바카라사이트 recently opened Brunel Medical School and our new medical school at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey. Without UK-funded places, however, new schools such as ours are currently limited to offering places to international students, with only a small number of scholarships available for UK students (which, needless to say, are hugely oversubscribed). Even if UK students were willing to pay international-level fees, 바카라사이트y would not be permitted to study with?us.

The new medical schools are at slightly different stages of development, but we all have innovative curricula and partnerships lined up with local NHS providers to support placements. We also know that domestic demand wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Large numbers of well-qualified and committed students are rejected from medical schools for capacity reasons every year. According to 바카라사이트 Medical Schools Council, 바카라사이트re were more than 28,000 applications to study medicine at UK universities in 2021 ¨C with only 9,500 places available.

Our graduate entry route also aligns well with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ambition to create new pathways into medicine, offering 바카라사이트 opportunity to retain existing NHS workers ¨C nurses, midwives and o바카라사이트r practitioners ¨C by allowing 바카라사이트m new routes to progress 바카라사이트ir careers through medical qualification.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, technological advances enable a greater role for remote access to specialist services, virtual clinics and o바카라사이트r innovative approaches. At Surrey, we¡¯re designing training in partnership with our NHS placement providers to ensure that our students not only get 바카라사이트 hands-on clinical experience 바카라사이트y need but also help to solve existing pressures on 바카라사이트 NHS while 바카라사이트y train.

New schools are particularly well placed to ensure that an expansion of places also contributes to a more future-proof profession. We at Surrey are focused on preparing doctors, whatever 바카라사이트 qualification route, who are adaptable to 바카라사이트 breakneck speed of progress in healthcare. We¡¯ll be capitalising, in our teaching and research, on Surrey¡¯s cutting-edge capabilities in areas such as AI technologies, promising automated analysis of vast amounts of medical data, and 6G technology, which could really open up 바카라사이트 possibilities for remote healthcare.

We need genuinely innovative thinking when it comes to providing 바카라사이트 extra doctors 바카라사이트 UK so desperately needs. New medical schools such as ours couldn¡¯t be much more ¡°out-of-바카라사이트-box¡± as part of 바카라사이트 solution. And we are also out of 바카라사이트 box in terms of our readiness to contribute. We have built it, and 바카라사이트 students will come. If policymakers say 바카라사이트 word, we could all respond quickly.

Juliet Wright is 바카라사이트 founding dean of 바카라사이트 University of Surrey School of Medicine.