Pay poor countries for NHS staff they train | Letters

Recruiting NHS staff from other countries saves the British taxpayer the very substantial costs of training them.

However, the proportional financial cost to poorer source countries is much greater than our saving. John Holme (Letters, 21 March) mentions Malawi as one source for NHS staff: six years ago a study published in the BMJ estimated the loss of returns to Malawi just for doctors then working in rich, predominantly white countries, at $ 1.41bn. Of those countries, it was the UK that benefited most, with a net transfer of wealth from nine sub-Saharan countries struggling with HIV/Aids of $ 2.7bn.

Getting poorer countries to pay for our medical training appears to be a deliberate UK policy rather than just the mighty free market, given the cuts in training places and funding.

Rather than selfishly celebrate this neocolonial asset-stripping, we should insist that countries of origin should be fully compensated for the loss. And that the UK should pay its own way in future.
Peter McKenna
Liverpool

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Pay poor countries for NHS staff they train | Letters

How To Train Your Brain To Stop Worrying

How To Train Your Brain To Stop Worrying

"We need much more physicians - so train more medics"

It always seems to me to be an anomaly that we have a shortage of UK trained doctors in this country and yet schools which are providing the raw material are finding that some of their applicants are dismissed.

In today’s educational landscape where we are moving towards unrestricted numbers for university places for the highest-achieving students, it seems ludicrous that we still have the Department of Health imposing such strict controls on the numbers of doctors we can train.

This is something that needs to be addressed both for the talented, young, would-be doctors and for the future of the National Health Service.

Last week, universities minister David Willetts dismissed the issue. His answer was that these academically-gifted girls should be encouraged to seek careers in engineering instead.

I agree that we need more girls in engineering and STEM subjects and in girls’ schools there is a far higher uptake in these subjects amongst girls than nationally.

At Headington, for example, Maths is our most popular Sixth Form subject, while a team of girls from Headington recently won the National Student Robotics Competition – one of just two all-girls’ teams taking part in the contest.

>> Medical school: maximise your chances of getting a place

However, there is a big difference between being a doctor and being an engineer. If you have a vocation to work in medicine and you have been doing lots of relevant work experience in care homes or with disabled children, transferring your efforts towards an entirely different career requires a major shift in direction.

Recent change in educational policy, with the inevitable loss of breadth in sixth form courses as the AS Level is decoupled, and therefore devalued, is likely to emphasise this situation even more.

A 15-year-old student who is choosing A-levels and is considering Medicine may pick Chemistry, Biology and Maths, with Physics as her fourth subject. Currently she has the option of having a change of heart at the end of Year 12 and deciding to be an engineer instead of a medic. Without choosing Physics at that earlier age under the existing AS Level system, that option will no longer be available.

Would-be doctors at Headington are offered a two-year specialised medic programme to ensure those girls who have the vocation and the ability are supported in their applications.

About 15 per cent of our girls do go on to study medicine – whether straight out of Sixth Form or a year later. They go on to become excellent doctors.

So my message to the Department of Health is to provide more training places to turn these girls’ vocations into lifetime careers and give them the chance to make a difference in the career they have chosen.

Caroline Jordan, Headmistress at Headington School

"We need much more physicians - so train more medics"

"We need more medical doctors - so train much more medics"

It often would seem to me to be an anomaly that we have a shortage of Uk skilled medical doctors in this country and yet schools which are delivering the raw material are obtaining that some of their applicants are dismissed.

In today’s educational landscape exactly where we are moving in the direction of unrestricted numbers for university places for the highest-achieving students, it would seem ludicrous that we even now have the Department of Wellness imposing such rigid controls on the numbers of doctors we can train.

This is some thing that wants to be addressed the two for the talented, younger, would-be medical doctors and for the long term of the Nationwide Well being Services.

Last week, universities minister David Willetts dismissed the situation. His response was that these academically-gifted ladies ought to be encouraged to seek careers in engineering instead.

I agree that we need more women in engineering and STEM topics and in girls’ schools there is a far greater uptake in these topics amongst women than nationally.

At Headington, for example, Maths is our most popular Sixth Kind topic, whilst a staff of women from Headington recently won the National Pupil Robotics Competitors – a single of just two all-girls’ teams taking portion in the contest.

&gt&gt Health-related school: maximise your chances of obtaining a spot

Even so, there is a huge big difference amongst becoming a medical professional and being an engineer. If you have a vocation to function in medicine and you have been doing tons of relevant function expertise in care properties or with disabled young children, transferring your efforts in the direction of an completely different occupation requires a significant shift in course.

Latest adjust in educational policy, with the inevitable reduction of breadth in sixth form programs as the AS Level is decoupled, and for that reason devalued, is likely to emphasise this circumstance even much more.

A 15-12 months-old pupil who is selecting A-ranges and is contemplating Medication may possibly choose Chemistry, Biology and Maths, with Physics as her fourth subject. At present she has the selection of getting a alter of heart at the finish of Yr 12 and determining to be an engineer rather of a medic. Without having selecting Physics at that earlier age underneath the present AS Degree method, that selection will no longer be accessible.

Would-be doctors at Headington are presented a two-yr specialised medic programme to make sure people girls who have the vocation and the ability are supported in their applications.

About 15 per cent of our ladies do go on to examine medication – regardless of whether straight out of Sixth Type or a yr later. They go on to turn into excellent medical doctors.

So my message to the Department of Health is to give more coaching spots to flip these girls’ vocations into lifetime careers and give them the likelihood to make a big difference in the profession they have chosen.

Caroline Jordan, Headmistress at Headington School

"We need more medical doctors - so train much more medics"

Train driver in deadly New York crash had "severe" rest disorder, NTSB says

The driver of a New York commuter train that derailed at substantial pace final 12 months, killing 4 men and women, had a serious rest disorder that interrupted his rest dozens of occasions each evening, federal investigators disclosed on Monday.

The Nationwide Transportation Security Board’s (NTSB) healthcare examination of engineer William Rockefeller uncovered “serious obstructive rest apnea”, in accordance to documents released by the agency.

The paperwork did not say no matter whether the disorder contributed to the one December crash on the Metro-North railroad. The NTSB explained its examination of the details and any determination of the cause would come in a later report.

Rockefeller’s attorney and union leader have suggested the engineer nodded off on the morning of 1 December as his train raced toward a sharp curve in the Bronx, exactly where it derailed. The curve had a 30 mph speed restrict the train was going 82 mph.

Lawyer Jeffrey Chartier stated a number of days soon after the accident that Rockefeller experienced a nod or “a daze”, nearly like street fatigue or the phenomenon often called highway hypnosis. Anthony Bottalico, leader of the rail staff union, said Rockefeller “essentially nodded”.

The NTSB report explained a rest research was ordered simply because Rockefeller “did not specifically recall events foremost up to the accident”.

The test found that whilst Rockefeller slept, he had about 65 “rest arousals” per hour. Scientists say as handful of as five interruptions an hour can make a person chronically sleepy. The report stated Rockefeller’s apnea apparently was undiagnosed prior to the accident.

The NTSB mentioned that sleep apnea is not described in Metro-North’s healthcare suggestions.

Metro-North spokesman Aaron Donovan explained the railroad was reviewing the paperwork. Chartier did not right away return messages in search of comment on Monday.

The report said Rockefeller’s blood and urine tests right after the accident unveiled small amounts of aspirin and an more than-the-counter antihistamine that carries a warning that it could impair the capacity to drive.

The report notes that Rockefeller’s work routine had recently modified from late evening to early morning shifts.

Apnea is far more frequent in individuals who are overweight, and the health-related report describes Rockefeller, who is five feet eleven inches tall, as obese. Data in the report indicate he was 204 pounds in 2008, 246 pounds in 2011 and 274 pounds in 2013 but down to 261 pounds after the accident.

The report says a rest medication expert prescribed an apnea treatment identified as CPAP, or steady good airway stress, which utilizes a mask and hose to push a regular movement of air pressure into a person’s airway in the course of rest.

Train driver in deadly New York crash had "severe" rest disorder, NTSB says