Resident doctors and senior clinicians gathered in Newcastle this week at an event hosted by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) to discuss the pressures facing the medical workforce and how education, assessment and professional development should evolve.
The evening reception was held following the RCP Update in medicine conference in Newcastle, where delegates heard from expert speakers on general and acute medicine – from chronic kidney disease to infectious diseases, Parkinson’s to pneumonia in adults with learning difficulties.
Organised by Dr Samuel Hey, Northern representative on the RCP Resident Doctor Committee (RDC), the evening event was attended by around 30 resident doctors, as well as RCP president Professor Mumtaz Patel, RCP registrar Dr Omar Mustafa and RCP deputy registrar, Dr Ben Chadwick.
Participants welcomed the opportunity to attend an RCP event in the north east of England and stressed that local meetings, networks and visible regional leadership make it easier for doctors to feel connected to the college, particularly for those unable to travel frequently to the college buildings in London and Liverpool.
RDC representative for the Northern region, Dr Samuel Hey, said:
‘Having this event in Newcastle made a real difference. For many doctors, travelling to London or Liverpool just isn’t practical, and local events like this help the RCP feel much more relevant and accessible.’
During the session, several resident doctors spoke about the practical realities of training in a large, geographically dispersed region. While many recognised the educational benefits of rotating between hospitals, participants described the strain of long commutes, repeated relocations and the difficulty of establishing a stable home life, particularly for those with families. There was support for flexible models that balance continuity with exposure to different clinical environments, alongside clearer, earlier information about how rotations work in practice.
The conversation also explored national training reforms, including recent changes to foundation programme allocation. While there is growing understanding of why the new system was introduced and recognition that it aims to improve fairness, doctors described the anxiety created by uncertainty and the steep consequences for those who fare badly in the ranking process. Participants emphasised the importance of clear communication about how the new system works.
Workforce pressures featured prominently. Resident doctors described persistent staffing shortages, heavy workloads and the impact that these have on wellbeing, learning and patient safety. Many also highlighted frustrations with portfolio and assessment requirements, saying that tick-box exercises often felt disconnected from everyday learning.
RCP president, Professor Mumtaz Patel, said:
‘Postgraduate medical education and training needs to better reflect how doctors actually learn and practise. We need to focus more on continuous learning, meaningful feedback and assessment that genuinely supports career development.
‘Our discussion with resident doctors in Newcastle underlines why listening to lived experience is so important. I am committed to listening and amplifying the voices of our residents so we can advocate on their behalf and drive positive change to improve their training quality and experience. The RCP has a responsibility to support high quality training, reduce unnecessary burden and strengthen our regional presence so we can respond to the realities physicians face across the UK.’
Sam added:
‘What we heard reflects what resident doctors are telling us nationally – they are committed to delivering high-quality patient care, but face growing pressures on time, morale and training. These conversations matter, and turning them into real change for resident doctors has to be the next step.’
For the RCP, the event reinforced the importance of listening to the lived experience of resident doctors, strengthening regional engagement and ensuring that training, assessment and professional development evolve alongside the changing realities of NHS practice.
Insights from this discussion will inform ongoing RCP work to influence the reform of medical training, advocate on behalf of physicians and engage with fellows and members across the UK.