RCP responds to HSJ story about the 10 Year Workforce Plan

Professor Mumtaz Patel, RCP president, said:

‘Patients with multiple health needs often don’t fit neatly into one specialty, and medicine is becoming ever more complex, so it’s right that the government is focusing on strengthening high quality generalist medical care.

‘But we must build on the expertise that already exists in the NHS before adding new roles without clear training pathways into the mix. We already have strong, established routes into generalist care – including standalone general internal medicine (GIM), geriatric medicine and acute internal medicine training pathways – which provide broad-based training and equip doctors to manage complexity. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, we should strengthen and expand these existing pathways.  

‘We need to look at how generalist training is currently delivered, and how we can improve it before creating new roles. After all, the 10 Year Workforce Plan is an opportunity to create a workforce fit for the future, but it must work for patients and the next generation of doctors and other NHS staff.  

‘Technology and AI are already embedded in clinical practice and are shaping how care is delivered across the health system. Used well, they can support clinicians and improve efficiency, but this depends on strong governance, clear standards and safe, consistent implementation.

‘Over a third (36%) of physicians say that a lack of regulation is a key barrier to deployment of clinical AI systems in the NHS. Crucially, technology and AI cannot – and must not – replace the need for proper investment in people, training and better working conditions. AI alone will not solve the problem of capacity in the health system.

‘The RCP is a strong support of a long-term approach to workforce planning, and we look forward to working with the government ahead of the publication of the 10YWP to ensure that doctors play an active role in testing the ideas and assumptions that underpin it.

‘We have called on the government to grow the medical workforce by expanding specialty training places and maintaining their commitment to increase the number of medical school places. Every new medical school place should be guaranteed a training post from foundation through to specialty training.

‘We stand ready to work with the government to get this right, but reform must be grounded in a clear, deliverable plan for the workforce that actively involves doctors in its development and consults meaningfully with the medical profession to ensure it is focused on what patients need.’