• General Medical Council surveys 55,000 doctors in training in latest national training survey
• Time pressures on doctors are threatening the training needed to become next generation of GPs and consultants
• We say training must be protected but the pressures of growing demands and staffing shortage are making this more difficult

The General Medical Council has released its 2016 national training survey, which polled opinions from around 55,000 doctors in training. 

The annual survey of medical education and training found that increasingly heavy workloads are eroding the time doctors have for training. Over half of doctors in training reported that they regularly work beyond rostered hours and up to 25% said sleeping patterns left them sleep-deprived on a weekly basis.

Doctors with excessive workloads wee more likely to leave teaching sessions to answer clinical skills. Time pressures are threatening the training they need to safely become GPs and consultants.

Despite this, most doctors continued to rate their training experience as positive.

In response to the findings from the GMC’s annual National Training Survey, Chris Hopson said:

Trusts are doing all they can to safeguard training, but there is a mismatch between what the NHS is being asked to do and the resources available

“Our latest survey of NHS trust chairs and chief executives identified widespread concerns about the impact of an excessive workload on staff. We agree with the GMC that training must be protected. However the pressures of growing demands, compounded by staffing shortages, are making this increasingly difficult. Trusts are doing all they can to safeguard training, but there is a mismatch between what the NHS is being asked to do and the resources available. We need a credible plan to address this problem.”