Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026
The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 introduces a system of prioritisation for allocation of medical foundation training places and medical specialty training places in the UK. While international medical graduates (IMGs) remain a valued part of the NHS workforce, the Act is intended to address growing inflow and heavy reliance on them and the impact on career progression, retention and the attractiveness of being a doctor in the UK for UK medical graduates (UKMGs). Furthermore, the government’s ambition is to reduce the NHS’s reliance on international recruitment and ensure that UK’s future workforce is sustainable – the World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated ‘a shortfall of 11 million health workers by 2030’ with all countries affected.
The Act is informed by evidence that suggests that UK-trained doctors are more likely to work in the NHS for longer and be better equipped to deliver healthcare tailored to the UK population, with potential benefits of:
- improved workforce planning and retention of doctors
- better patient outcomes over time
- maximising taxpayers’ investment – taxpayers invest over £1 billion in undergraduate clinical placements and over £3.3 billion in postgraduate foundation and specialty training each year
The BOA notes the introduction of the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, and the significant impact that policies culminating in the Act have had on the large cohort of locally employed doctors who work in Trauma & Orthopaedics. The BOA remains committed to excellence in patient care by encouraging an environment where the best possible candidates are chosen to pursue a career in trauma and orthopaedics – our patients deserve no less.
The BOA supports the move to prioritise NHS or HSCNI experience, provided that this does not become a barrier to the selection of the most capable applicants.
The BOA will continue to engage with stakeholders to support the education and training of resident doctors.