NHS Children's Units Under Threat From Rise In Female Doctors

[Arthur Little]

Welfare services for children are "struggling to cope" ... partly due to female doctors going on maternity leave ... an expert claims:

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/u...rens-services/

... vicious circle!

[Doc Alan]

A " vicious circle ", maybe !


• There are around 275,000 doctors ( 55% male ) registered to practise medicine in the UK ( compared to ONLY 70,000 in the Philippines ). A quarter are on the GP Register, and a third on the Specialist Register. There are an equal number of males and females in General Practice ; 2/3 on the Specialist Register are male.


• Paediatrics is popular – ranking 3rd ( after anaesthetics and general medicine ) of the specialties - about 6,000 in the UK. Most ( ¾ ) doctors on the paediatric training programme are female.


1. One of the professional attributes needed for doctors choosing paediatrics as a career is " family focused " – but many are choosing to have their own families sooner within the paediatric training programme, then ( when they have their own children ) choosing to work less than full time.

2. Vacancies and gaps on middle grade rotas continue to be hard to fill – especially on neonatal rotas, where the vacancy rate is nearly a quarter. About half of vacancy rotas are filled by locums – very expensive long term.

3. It’s also proved impossible to fully comply with the European Working Time Directive ( 48 hour week ).


4. As the primary medical qualification of a quarter of all UK specialists are international, changes in immigration rules preventing those not earning over £ 30,000 after 4 years’ employment continuing to work in UK, may also be a factor.


• Possible solutions ? Collaborative working across regions or networks ; more qualified nurses ; compulsory extended paediatric experience for GP trainees ; encouraging more male doctors into the specialty. It’s time for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health – and the GMC – to halt the " vicious circle " .