Assessing aspirations and options available for later career stages

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges* Flexible Careers Group is canvasing views on the optimal career plan and working terms and conditions for colleagues in the later stages of their careers. With the planned increase in retirement age there are potentially many implications for those working in the NHS. We would encourage all doctors to fill out this questionnaire to inform their work regardless of whether they are near retirement or not. *The FSRH is a member of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (the Academy). The Academy is the coordinating body for the UK and Irelands 22 medical Royal Colleges and Faculties. They ensure patients are safely and properly cared for by setting standards for the way doctors are educated, trained and monitored throughout their careers.

There may be some doctors who wish to continue to work and feel encouraged to postpone retirement. Equally, there may be many others who are concerned about their ability to continue to perform at a high enough level and will seek to retire. Others may be happy to continue to work if given the option of reducing their workload. Several flexible retirement options, some related to the Flexible Careers Scheme, exist, and, particularly in shortage specialties, should be attractive to both doctors and employers. However, there is considerable evidence of doctors who wish to access these options having difficulty resulting, in many cases, in premature retirement. Such doctors represent an enormous resource of knowledge, experience and expertise, which should not be wasted.

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges feels it is important exactly what options and opportunities would be attractive to doctors in the later stages of their careers. We are inviting you to take part in this national survey. The survey is anonymous. It is semi-structured, to assist analysis, but, because the committee wishes to hear all views, it also enables full free text entries. The survey can be accessed on laptops/ tablets and android/iPhones and can be saved at any time.

Access the survey here

The results will be used to develop evidence based recommendations to present to NHS Employers which can be used both to inform changes in the terms and conditions and assist in workforce planning.

To find out more about the work of the Academy please visit the AoMRC website.