Fill rate figures for medical specialty training in England remain high

Figures published today by NHS England today show that 2023 is another strong year for recruitment to medical specialty training when compared to the same time last year. 

A number of different specialties have achieved 100 per cent or close to 100% fill rates. A further round of applications to address expected future vacancies will open at the end of July.

Other areas have experienced lower fill rates. NHS England will work with partners to bolster these fields and review recruitment and retention in these training programmes as laid out in the Long Term Workforce Plan.

Selections for these posts will be made between August and October with offers being made to successful candidates at the end of October, with training beginning in February 2024.

Navina Evans, Chief Workforce, Training and Education Officer at NHS England, said: “We are pleased to see that medical specialty training continues to see high fill rate levels and we are encouraged to see the number of doctors wanting to extend their training in the NHS.

“Some areas have experienced lower fill rates and we are working with partners to bolster these.

“Competition for places has been high, so we will ensure that doctors who haven’t been successful in this round will have an opportunity to assess the available options and we will work closely with partners in Trusts, the Royal Colleges and others to support those doctors, review recruitment and retention in these training programmes to be aligned with the Long Term Workforce Plan.”

Will Quince, Minister of State for Health, said: “The NHS continues to offer rewarding careers and it’s fantastic to see that this is another strong year for recruitment to medical speciality training, with many different specialties such as general practice, emergency medicine and clinical radiology achieving close to or 100% fill rates.

“We’ve made significant progress in growing the workforce with record numbers of doctors working in the NHS and we continue to take action to put the health service on a sustainable footing. The first-ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will offer education and speciality training opportunities, as well as expanding alternative routes into professional roles, which will significantly increase the medical workforce.”

A full breakdown of figures which includes England, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be found here.