Wednesday 28 March 2007

Leaked proof of MTAS failures



This leaked document has been brought to my attention. It is written by the postgraduate Dean of the West Midlands Deanery, this is the deanery where a group of surgical consultants withdrew from the interviewing process for ethical reasons concerning the complete failure of MTAS. The Dean is also a board member of PMETB, a board that is largely appointed by the secretary of state for health- one Patricia Hewitt.

One could be forgiven for thinking that the piece is written by someone with a multiple personality disorder given the self contradictory nature of most of it. Numerous MTAS system failures are recorded, including an amazing admission about lost data:

"Countless problems with data loss – we lost over 1300 applications on the day before the closing date and had many separate episodes of data loss – candidates also appeared on the screen unannounced during the short listing period! – As a consequence, the staff have no confidence in the system."

"Someone who was coached could gain lots of marks and be a poorer candidate who was honest and factual."

There are countless other tales of other shocking MTAS errors, I do not have time to list them all. The most remarkable thing about what is written by the Dean is his dogmatic belief that MMC and MTAS are the way forward.

"The workforce deanery fully supports Modernising Medical Careers and the philosophy behind the MTAS system and wishes to be part of the review process to get the system to work effectively for the good of our junior doctors, our staff, the service and our patients."

"
MMC/PMETB together will raise standards and help produce the types of specialists and GPs that we need for the service and more efficiently."

The first of the two above statements is virtually comical in its logic. The Dean supports 'the philisophy' behind the system, whatever this is supposed to mean. My god, the man is even saying that he thinks the PMETB will help raise standards! He's either got a very dark sense of humour or he is a crony of the highest order.

Dr Crippen and front point systems have both taken Prof Field apart into several small bite size pieces. I particularly love the mocking of Prof Field's claims that foundation years and GP selection work so well; in fact he is cheaply trying to emphasise that they are better than MTAS, hardly an achievement I feel Prof. I have laid turds that are better than MTAS but you won't hear me boasting about them here.

In reality Professor Field knows what MMC and MTAS are really about. They are not about a fairer process for all, they are cynical politically motivated policies designed to introduce the 'sub consultant' grade by stealth and in so doing make it easier to privatise the NHS. I am sure he supports this philosophy, as it is the corrupt philosophy of the DoH and if he didn't support it, he would find himself rather rapidly out of a job.

His dogmatic refusal to admit that MTAS must be scrapped gives the game away, a game in which he is one of a number of Deans that are helping the DoH force through this devastating agenda. They care neither for doctors nor for patients, but they will always back the ideological philosophy pushed by their masters irrespective of the consequent human cost. Their nonsensical propaganda gives them away and they should not be trusted for a nanosecond; as their agenda is darker and that of their masters is even darker.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

The document is not available to non-members of e-snips.

Also, re comment authentication, perhaps you could look at captcha based efforts as not everyone has or is willing to use Google / Blogger accounts.

Unknown said...

I am copying it onto my server & you are welcome to link to it there, can spare the bandwidth.

Also, Steven Field has just been elected Chairman-elect of the RCGP & takes office in November. God help us.

Garth Marenghi said...

have sorted this, you should be able to find document now....