Commenting on workforce commitments in the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England to improve access to the medicine profession for disadvantaged young people, Nick Harrison, CEO of the Sutton Trust, said:

‘Today’s announcement marks a major milestone in opening up access to the medicine profession for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Today only 5% of medical school entrants are from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and being a doctor remains one of the most elitist careers in the country. If you have the ability, where you grow up or your parents’ income shouldn’t be a barrier to becoming a doctor.

‘As the country needs more doctors to meet patient’s needs, this represents an opportunity to open attractive career paths to more young people from working class backgrounds, and build a more diverse pipeline of talent from all parts of society. Patients will also benefit from having doctors who reflect the communities they serve.’

Notes to editors:

The Government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future includes the following commitments:

  • We need to dramatically improve access to the medical profession for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Research from the Sutton Trust suggests that only 5% of medical school entrants are from the lowest socio-economic groups. This does not serve the country or NHS well and as a government we will not accept it: someone’s background should not be a barrier to becoming a doctor.
  • Working with the Sutton Trust, Social Mobility Foundation and other partners we will dramatically improve access to medicine by creating a more diverse pipeline of homegrown talent that meets the country’s needs. Expansion of medical school places will be targeted at medical schools with a proven track record of widening participation. The admissions process to medical school will be improved with better information, signposting and support for applicants, and more systematic use of contextual admissions.

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