MR 02
Ymchwiliad i recriwtio meddygol
Inquiry into medical recruitment
Ymateb gan: Dr Adam Dallmann
Response from: Dr Adam Dallmann

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing in response to the “Inquiry into medical recruitment” consultation, wishing to highlight a significant issue affecting Histopathology trainees in Wales following the introduction of the new junior doctor contract in England.

Histopathology is the only specialty training programme which is unbanded (salary is solely made up of basic pay, with no banding supplement due to no out-of-hours work) during its entire length (5.5 years). With the introduction of the new contract in England, Histopathology trainees there will see a significant rise in their salary owing to the increased basic pay. Below is the gross annual income of unbanded trainees in Wales and England following the introduction of the contract:

	Wales	England
ST1	30,302	36100
ST2	32,156	36100
ST3	34,746	45750
ST4	36,312	45750
ST5	38,200	45750
ST6	40,090	45750
Total	211806	255200

It is clearly visible that an ST4 in Wales (with greater responsibilities and having already passed two exams out of the three required by the College) would be earning the same as a fresh-starting ST1 in England, and those in England at ST3 level or higher would earn significantly more than any Welsh trainee could ever do. During the entire duration of the training (5.5 years), trainees in England will earn a full year`s worth of salary more than their counterparts in Wales, for working the same hours and having the same level of responsibility.

I cannot stress enough the devastating effect such a significant level of cross-country pay gap will have on the morale of the current workforce, the potential retention problems that would go with it and on the recruitment of new trainees, as seeing these figures it is not difficult to deduce that no trainee would want to come and train in Wales. This in turn would inevitably manifest as low consultant recruitment figures in the specialty, directly influencing patient care and waiting times for diagnoses.

I urge the Committee to address this inequality affecting one of the smallest medical specialties before it manifests as a recruitment and retention crisis, to maintain the status of Wales as an attractive Deanery to train in Histopathology.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Adam Dallmann

ST2 in Histopathology