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Modernising Medical Careers

The hon. Gentleman cannot have been listening to what I have said. Under the previous system, not everyone got the specialty post that they applied for, so they did something else. They still had a job, however. The Secretary of State has said that nothing in the new system will change that basic fact. If they do not get a specialty training place, they will still have a job. That is the point of my question to the Minister. What are the prospects for those people who still have a job, even though it is not the training post that they want? That is a reasonable question. I mentioned earlier that a university in Stafford offers health training. Admittedly, it does not train junior doctors, so I will not push my luck too far in talking about issues other than modernising medical careers. I want to make the point, however, that there have been superb improvements in medical training in recent years. There have been some great developments, from foundation degrees to professional doctorates. In terms of continuing professional development, relationships between NHS employers and training providers have been much improved, including the excellent development of mentors for newly qualified doctors and other health professionals. Much better recognised training and qualifications have been developed for those in the support teams for doctors and consultants. For example, last week, at Staffordshire university, I heard about training for operating theatre staff, the pilot for primary care staff, and the current deliberations about whether help can be provided in the training of care home staff. We should celebrate all those excellent developments. Everyone I listed at the beginning of my contribution has said that better work force planning is needed. Nobody would disagree with that. We are dealing with one of the biggest work forces in the world, not just in the country, so it is understandable if it presents more difficulty than others. Clearly, good work force planning involves listening and research, engaging those who know what is happening and have expertise to offer, piloting changes before implementing them more widely, on which I agreed with the hon. Member for North Norfolk, and, having carried out pilots, conducting proper evaluation before the final implementation. If there are lessons to be learned from today, I hope that the Minister will accept that those points cover some of them.