The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has responded to the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill, which received Royal Assent on Thursday 5 March 2026.
The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill aims to ensure that UK medical graduates and doctors with substantial NHS experience are prioritised for specialty training and foundation posts this year, with the application process already underway. According to the Department of Health and Social Care, the changes are expected to reduce competition ratios from around 4:1 to 2:1.
Mr Sujeewa Fernando, RCOG Vice President for Workforce, commented:
“The RCOG welcomes this change to legislation, which aims to address part of the training pathway bottleneck. We recognise the extreme pressures on our workforce, including high levels of competition for places on the O&G specialty training programme, and we support all efforts to ease these pressures.
“However, legislative change alone is not enough. It must be accompanied by an expansion of O&G training posts, improved working conditions, greater flexibility, protected time for educators, and increased resources and investment in women’s healthcare to ensure training remains high-quality.
“We also want to acknowledge that the O&G workforce is significantly strengthened by International Medical Graduates’ skills, experience and dedication. The RCOG deeply values their contribution and is absolutely committed to supporting our international colleagues with the right information and resources to thrive, professionally and personally, working in the NHS.
“All doctors should have fair access to career progression and feel supported within our specialty, including those working outside of formal training pathways.”
- RCOG hub for International Medical Graduates
- Please find out more about the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill, here.