Medical Education England (MEE) has lent its support to extend GP training to four years.
Members of the MEE Board endorsed the previous unanimous support for the educational case for extended and enhanced GP training from the MEE’s Medical Programme Board.
However, other issues such as the economic case, wider affordability and UK-wide implementation of GP training “still needs to be considered”.
It is expected the MEE will now write formally to the Department of Health to say it supports the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) educational case for change.
“We recognise that the current system of training for GPs has been in place for 30 years and needs to change to adapt to future challenges,” said Christine Outram, Managing Director of MEE.
“These particularly include the need to meet the demands of an ageing population receiving an increasing proportion of care close to home and improvements to GP training in relation to the care of children and young people and those with mental health problems.”
Responding to the unanimous decision by the Board of Medical Education England (MEE) to support the RCGP’s educational case for enhancing and extending GP training.
Dr Clare Gerada, RCGP Chair of Council, said she was “delighted” at the result.
“We are thrilled that the RCGP’s proposals for an enhanced and extended four-year training programme have been accepted, proving the educational need for change,” she said.
“This is a crucial stage in a long process and the RCGP will now continue to work with our partners and key stakeholders to produce workable and affordable plans to implement the enhanced programme.
“This involves close collaboration with the three devolved nations to ensure that proposals for a new training programme are deliverable UK-wide.”
Proposals for the affordability and implementation of GP training will need to be approved by the Department of Health in England and the new curriculum and assessment system approved by the General Medical Council.
