Osborne and Craft duologue: relative values

Abstract

Dr Jonathan Osborne's open letter to Royal Colleges’ presidents roundly denounced the Royal Colleges in his analysis and perception of their acquiescence to Government and the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) (JRSM 2006;99:56–57).¹ He declares the Government's Modernising Medical Careers, in implementing post-foundation medical training, is ‘not in the best long-term interest of either patients, future consultants, general practitioners or the royal colleges.’ Osborne pleads with the Royal Colleges to prove him wrong by blocking the current reforms to postgraduate training.

This Society's decision to support Osborne was taken following careful consideration of his tightly argued case and, we submit, the less than persuasive response by Dr Alan Craft in his capacity as Chairman of the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges. Croft dismisses Osborne's accusation of being ‘led by Government’ by claiming that the Royal Colleges ‘are taking a leading role.’ But this is immediately undermined by his then referring to these ‘inevitable reforms’ and further declaring ‘we do not necessarily agree with all the [Government] pressure put upon us’(JRSM 2006;99:165–167).²

Craft cites the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) as another supporting reason for his advocated changes. Medical pressure on Government by a vigorous, notionally self-regulated profession should surely decide this as an item to be opposed by invoking the EU ‘subsidiarity’ Home Affairs doctrine for individual countries’ limited self-determination.³

Support for a moratorium on—if not cessation of— politically driven proposals, is the observation that never before has the near-monopoly provider system of health care to the nation, the NHS, been so obviously unfit for purpose and in such a state of chaos as Government piles change upon change with alarming acceleration and cost to the taxpayer.³ We strongly endorse Osborne's position and plea.

Note Following publication of this letter an extended version will be released on the Society's website www.scpnet.com

Footnotes

Competing interests None declared.

References

Osborne

. Modernising medical careers: an open letter to the Royal College Presidents. J R Soc Med 2006; 99: 56–7.

Craft

. Modernizing medical careers: a response from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. J R Soc Med 2006; 99: 165–7.

Bercow

. Subsidiarity and the illusion of democratic control. Available at http://www.brugesgroup.com/mediacentre/index.live?article=192 (accessed 02/09/2006).