MEDICAL EDUCATION STANDARDS BOARD DOCUMENT

Among the Government's plans to reorganise service delivery and training in the NHS is a proposal to restructure postgraduate education and training. This is described in a consultation document "Postgraduate Medical Education and Training: The Medical Education Standards Board", which is available on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/medicaltrainingintheuk.

The proposals for the MESB threaten the autonomy and authority of the specialist associations and the medical Royal Colleges for setting standards for education, training, certification and surgical practice, and seek to impose overall political control. For example, the Board of 24 will include 12 lay members and a lay Chairman and will be accountable directly to the Secretary of State for Health. THERE IS NO GUARANTEED PLACE FOR SURGERY on the MESB. You are strongly urged to read the MESB document as it has impliations for all consultants and trainees. The BAPS response and the Royal College of Surgeons Eng response to the consultation document are available by clicking on the preceding links.