Accommodation campaign - No room for more student debt
This page gives you information on the Medical Students Committee (MSC) and Junior Doctors Committee (JDC) work and campaign on the loss of free hospital accommodation for first year junior doctors. You can find information on what the MSC and JDC have planned for taking action, and how to get involved.
Background and history
In July 2007, the requirement for pre-registration doctors to be resident at the hospital was removed from the Medical Act 1983. This means that there is no longer a statutory requirement for pre-registration doctors (first year foundation house officers (FHO1s) to be resident, which in turn means that hospital accommodation no longer needs to be provided without charge to FHO1s. In August 2007 NHS Employers wrote to trusts to encourage them to continue to provide free accommodation to FHO1s for 2007/08. However, from August 2008 most trusts will not provide accommodation for these doctors without charge.
What are we doing about it?
We have written to the NHS Employers asking them to negotiate with us about this but we have unfortunately had no positive response to date. We are pressing the NHSE and we will also be writing to Ministers about this issue.
We have also co-ordinated a series of protests against the loss of free accommodation.
Aims
The aim of the protests is to:
- raise awareness about the issue and about the concerns of students and junior doctors
- encourage the NHS Employers to negotiate with the BMA about the loss of accommodation
What do we want? Free accommodation to be reinstated for those who want and need it, or financial recompense for junior doctors for the loss of free accommodation.
Urgent and meaningful negotiations with NHS Employers to begin.
What can you do?
Get involved with the protests:
If you feel strongly about this issue please take part in the protests that are outlined above. Contact your MSC representative co-ordinator or your Regional JDC representative if you are a junior doctor for more information.
If there is no protest running in your area, but you would like to participate, we would ask you to contact your MSC representative. Please do not organise your own event without letting us know as we will be unable to provide advice and support to you.
Write to your local politician:
A letter writing campaign to MPs went live on Thursday 1 May. This can be accessed at www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/content/PolWizJuniorsAccommodation
‘Sleep in tent’ protest - 18 July
Further to these local protests, a one-day ‘Sleep in Tent’ protest will be taking place Friday 18 July. This protest will be highlighted at the BMA’s Annual Representative Meeting in early July. We will provide further information on this event on these pages so please look out for updates.
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