Head of UK scheme to improve junior doctors' training resigns over job application debacle

Alan Crockard, the national director of Modernising Medical Careers, the UK government agency set up to redesign the training of junior doctors, announced his resignation last Friday. He resigned because of serious problems with the computerised training application system, known as the medical training application service (MTAS).

The news came as Remedy UK, the organisation that has been leading the protests over the system, announced plans to launch a legal challenge to the proposed single interview process for England. Details of the process were due to be announced as BMJ went to press.

The solicitors acting for the organisation, Leigh Day and Co, said: “Our client is concerned that the new proposals will involve substantial illegality and unfairness.”

In his resignation statement Professor Crockard called on the chief medical officer for England, Liam Donaldson, to “urgently address” the problems in the current computerised recruitment system. It is understood that Professor Crockard was frustrated that the application scheme—something he had no direct control over—was jeopardising the reform of training.

Failings in the system had led to an outcry from junior doctors and academics frustrated with the arrangements. Protest marches took place on the streets of London and Glasgow last month (BMJ 2007;334:602, 24 Mar, doi: 10.1136/bmj.39160.616470.DB).

“I care passionately about medical education and training,” Professor Crockard said. “The principles of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) are laudable and I stand by them. More patients should be treated by trained doctors, rather than doctors in training.

“The recruitment of doctors into these new training programmes is separate to the development of the educational standards that MMC has been working to deliver. This recruitment process, through the MTAS system, undeniably needs to be reviewed. This process was developed outside my influence.

“I have become increasingly concerned about the well intentioned attempts to keep the recruitment and selection process running. I accept that in many areas and in many specialties, this round of recruitment and selection has been acceptable. But the overriding message coming back from the profession is that it has lost confidence in the current recruitment system.

“In the interest of the most important people in the whole process, the junior doctors, this must urgently be addressed.”

The government's MTAS review group met on the day that Professor Crockard's resignation was announced. As the BMJ went to press the group had yet to announce whether it would be standing by its decision to offer applicants for jobs in England only one interview.

But Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have decided that they will offer their candidates more than one interview.

Professor Crockard was director of education at the Royal College of Surgeons before he moved to Modernising Medical Careers in 2003. He was responsible for developing the two year foundation training programme for medical graduates that was launched in 2005.