This year sees 350 trainee anaesthetists were unable to get posts for the next stage of anaesthetics training (higher specialist training ST4) in the NHS, despite there being a shortfall of 1,400 consultants and speciality doctors in anaesthesia, according to the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA).
Despite the shortfall of anaesthetic staff in the NHS, which the RCoA has estimated means around 1 million operations are unable to take place, the HEE does not fund enough training places to meet demand from eligible doctors. There is a mismatch between the number of training places available, which is determined by funding from Health Education England (HEE), and the number of doctors wishing to specialise in anaesthetics.
The 350 doctors that did not get a training place are now unable to progress in their chosen speciality, despite already completing 3 years of training and will have to take positions as non-consultant speciality doctors.
Full story in The Lowdown, 25 April 2023