29 June 2007
We received a petition asking:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to return the responsibility for medical training to the Royal Colleges."
Read the Government’s response
The medical Royal Colleges (mRCs) have an important and continuing role in medical training within the UK. However, training within the NHS has never been the responsibility solely of the mRCs. For example, employment matters and delivery fall within the remit of service providers, as does ensuring that standards are maintained locally.
There are now national standards applicable to all postgraduate medical education and training. These standards are overseen by an independent body, the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB). As well as ensuring that the views of mRCs are taken into consideration, PMETB also has a statutory duty to consider the needs of patients and the NHS.
The Chief Medical Officer discussed the regulation of medical education in his report, Good Doctors, Safer Patients, and there was a wide consultation on his recommendations. In response to that consultation, the Government has stated its policy in the recent White Paper, Trust, Assurance and Safety - The Regulation of Health Professionals (new window), which can be viewed online.