Plans to shorten medical training put quality of NHS care at risk, doctors say

Medical unions said the high quality of medical recruits may be sacrificed under the government’s plans. Photograph: Hannah McKay/AFP/Getty Images

Plans to shorten medical training could dilute the calibre of doctors entering the NHS in England and damage the quality of care patients receive, doctors’ leaders have warned.

Government proposals to cut doctors’ time in medical school from five to four years, and to introduce medical apprenticeships, could “water down” training for health service staff, they said.