142 new junior doctors start work at Shropshire's main hospitals

The latest 142 recruits to the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS trust have joined in the last week.

They were welcomed by the trust's medical director Dr Edwin Borman.

For the next fortnight, the doctors will be undergoing an intensive induction process before beginning their work in both the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford's Princess Royal Hospital.

Dr Borman said: "This week we bid a sad farewell to many of our junior doctors and welcomed the new intake.

"I've already had the privilege of welcoming 142 doctors at their induction and I'm sure all my colleagues at SaTH will extend a warm welcome as they start work on our wards.

"I've emphasised for the new junior doctors how many exciting things are taking place at the moment, including our transforming care work with the Virginia Mason Institute in Seattle.

"Many have already worked at other hospitals and, having spoken to some of them, they are looking forward to working here in Shropshire.

"All will receive a detailed induction to ensure that they are familiar with the systems we use.

"Consultants and nurses will assist with their supervision when they start working on our wards."

Wednesday marked the day when thousands of junior doctors took up new posts at hospitals nationwide.

And the number of junior doctors taking up new posts this month has exceeded previous years. Claims that there would be a mass exodus following rows over a new contract proved unfounded.

Nine in 10 positions for junior doctors have been filled this month, despite concerns that the ongoing row between the Government and the British Medical Association over contracts for junior doctors may see positions harder to fill.

Figures show that 6,673 junior doctors entered specialist training, compared with 6,547 who took up a post last summer. The percentage of posts filled stands at 89.94 per cent, exceeding last year when 89.75 per cent of posts were filled.

It comes as it was revealed that more than half of doctors have considered leaving or have left the NHS to work in private healthcare following a 'tough' year for the profession, a survey reported.

A total of 57 per cent of doctors said they had thought about pursuing a career in private healthcare, according to the research from Wesleyan, the specialist financial services provider for doctors.

Professor Parveen Kumar, former president of the British Medical Association, said the figures showed the profession was under pressure.

Three-quarters of doctors said they felt pressured as a result of recent changes to their profession, down from 95 per cent in 2015.

Almost one in 10 said they planned to leave the profession for a new career, and 57 per cent have considered leaving the UK or had already left to pursue their career abroad.

And 63 per cent of doctors said they have considered or started locum work to ease some of the pressures of the job.