Royal College Of Obstetricians And Gynaecologists Statement On PMETB's National Trainee Survey 2006, UK

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) is aware of the issues highlighted by PMETB's recent survey . Many of these issues were previously identified in the report A Career in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Recruitment and Retention in the Specialty (RCOG, 2006).


There are specific reasons for the lack of supervision in obstetrics and gynaecology and the perceived low satisfaction rate among trainees. On the whole, these have been systematically addressed by the RCOG since the publication of the above RCOG report. For instance, the RCOG has set up a network of 170 recruitment champions around the country to ensure that trainees receive the support they require. We have also appointed a junior and senior Careers Advisor and a Recruitment Champion to ensure the momentum needed to carry forward the recommendations of the report and to improve trainees' experience of the specialty.


The bulk of the workload in obstetrics within the hospital is related to the labour ward. The 1999, we recommended 40-hour consultant presence in the labour ward to provide better supervised training and to increase patient safety in the document Towards Safer Childbirth . Only 50% of hospitals were able to fulfil this requirement when audited in 2006. The RCOG has looked at service and training issues and published The Future Role of the Consultant , where we recommended increase consultant numbers to provide better supervision and safer delivery of services.


The RCOG has also been working closely with colleagues in the Royal College of Midwives to explore multidisciplinary team working in maternity services and will publish the report The Clinical Learning Environment and Recruitment: A Report of the Joint RCM/RCOG Working Party in due course. This report will look at better collaboration between the different disciplines to ensure that trainees receive the attention they need.


The RCOG's Trainees Committee is at the moment conducting its own research into trainees' experience and attitudes in obstetrics and gynaecology across the country. This research is expected to be expansive in its data collection, and will include an examination of specific training and supervision issues.


RCOG Vice President Professor Sabaratnam Arulkumaran said "We recognise it is important that trainees have ample support and are satisfied with the supervision they receive. We are doing all we can and are currently surveying our trainees across the regions on their training experiences in order to better understand their needs."


"Better supervision of training in our acute specialty where activity takes place 24hours of the day is only possible with increased consultant presence in the labour ward. We look forward to working with the Department of Health to achieve the aim of safer childbirth."


rcog