The General Medical Council (GMC) has launched its annual national training survey, introducing new questions on workplace learning culture and multidisciplinary collaboration as part of efforts to improve patient safety.

For the first time, doctors in training and trainers will be asked if their employer encourages a culture of shared learning and knowledge between different healthcare professionals. The goal is to capture how supported trainees feel to engage in multidisciplinary communication, which is critical for safe patient care, the GMC said.

The national training survey is the largest insight into postgraduate medical training in the UK, with doctors asked about their experiences of workplace learning, support, and culture, and how well supported they feel. Its findings are collated to identify what improvements can be made and what is working well. More than 71,000 doctors responded to last year’s survey.

Other questions in the survey aim to identify where organisations need to take action, including those on discriminatory behaviours, quality of teaching and supervision, workloads, burnout, and training opportunities. 

The regulator said the survey provided a “vital tool” in identifying where action was needed to protect doctors and patients alike. 

Earlier this year, the GMC placed conditions on anaesthetics training at Basildon University Hospital after doctors in training raised safety concerns. Similar action was also taken at the North Manchester General Hospital’s obstetrics and gynaecology department in May last year. 

Supporting Training

Responses for the survey will help the regulator, as well as medical education bodies and employers, to ensure that trainees and trainers are supported in their roles. 

Last year, the GMC survey found that over 1 in 5 trainee doctors felt hesitant about escalating patient care concerns and had hesitated at least once in the previous 12 months. This figure rose to nearly a third in specialties such as surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, medicine, and emergency medicine. Those most hesitant to escalate care were also more likely to experience burnout, the GMC pointed out. 

Trusts, boards, and individual sites are expected to analyse their results to identify areas in need of attention, as well as to share good practice, the GMC said. 

“The results play a huge role in identifying what’s working well and what could be improved,” said Aby Nwaokolo, GMC head of quality assurance.

Call for Action on Findings

The results will be used to improve doctors’ experiences, as well as those of their peers and patients, by highlighting areas of good practice and those where action is needed.

However, the findings must “lead to meaningful change,” the Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) said.

“Year after year, the data tells the same story,” said DAUK co-chair Dr Matt Kneale. He said burnout is endemic, rota gaps undermine training, and too many doctors do not feel safe raising concerns.

“The GMC must demonstrate that collecting this data leads to enforceable action, not just another report.” 

Rob Hicks is a retired National Health Service doctor. A well-known TV and radio broadcaster, he has written several books and has regularly contributed to national newspapers, magazines, and online publications. He is based in the United Kingdom.