Doctors protest at lost allowance

Demonstrations are taking place across the UK

Medical students and junior doctors have staged a protest in Glasgow over the scrapping of an accommodation allowance for newly-qualified doctors.

The demonstration, outside the Western Infirmary, was part of a campaign by the British Medical Association (BMA) to have the policy ditched.

The BMA claims it will leave some doctors almost £5,000 a year worse off. But the Scottish Government said junior doctors were no longer required to live near where they worked.

In August 2007 the Medical Act was amended, removing the requirement for junior doctors in their first year of training to live on site.

This also removed the obligation for employers to offer free accommodation for doctors.

Dr Gordon Lehany, deputy chairman of the BMA's Scottish Junior Doctors Committee, said: "Free hospital accommodation gives newly-qualified doctors some financial breathing space during their first year after graduation.

"The provision of free accommodation in first year has been given as a reason to keep junior doctors' pay artificially low, yet this year's pay review did not compensate for the loss of this benefit.

Medical students graduate with an average of £16,000 debt and the loss of free accommodation is likely to push this upwards of £20,000 Claire Wilson, Glasgow Medical Students Committee

"All we are asking for is to be treated fairly. These changes have been made without any proper consultation with junior doctors.

"We are therefore calling on government to enter into meaningful negotiations or to compensate junior doctors appropriately."

The protest on Wednesday was organised by Claire Wilson, a second-year student and representative on Glasgow Medical Students Committee.

She said: "Medical students graduate with an average of £16,000 debt and the loss of free accommodation is likely to push this upwards of £20,000.

"This extra cost is a huge burden and could put some people off applying for a career in medicine.

'Significant improvements'

"The government claims to be committed to widening access to a career in medicine, but increasing financial pressures on medical graduates is more likely to put people off."

The Scottish Government said changes to working patterns meant it was no longer necessary for junior doctors to be on call in their first year.

A spokesman said: "This represents significant improvements to working hours and conditions of service that junior doctors now benefit from.

"In addition, salaries for doctors in training are already competitive even without free accommodation.

"As the residency requirement has been removed, and taking into account all the other factors, we consider it appropriate that junior doctors are treated in the same way as other NHS staff.

"Although the Doctors and Dentists Review Body acknowledges that the removal of free accommodation may, in the short term, increase costs for some junior doctors, its view is that the potential future earnings of doctors have been greatly enhanced by recent contractual changes."

The action on Wednesday was part of a UK-wide campaign, with similar protests staged in Devon, Newcastle, Liverpool, London, Bristol, Sheffield and Wales.