PMETB had already recognised that when standards of training were not up to the mark then the units should be de-recognised for training. And historically the Royal Colleges, who were responsible for approving training bodies, had taken the same approach. We even know of one famous London Teaching Hospital that was temporarily derecognised in order to tempt the consultants away from their golf course.

Alas the new GMC-PMETB conglomerate has a different view.

• What has Employment Agency Legislation done for you?
• GMC, PMETB and the Quality of Training Posts

Do you really know your rights?

Employment Agency Legislation may protect you in many areas - in particular around confidentiality, 'stick-or-twist' and your right to information before you accept a post.

• Employment Agency legislation offers significant protection to work seekers.
• What is an Employment Agency?
• Why don't Deaneries admit they are Employment Agencies?
• Information given to work seekers
• The twist and stick dilemma
• Maintaining your confidentiality
• Training Programmes and Contracts of Employment
• If I withdraw from a job will the GMC be interested?
• I have been offered a place on one Training Programme, but haven’t heard yet from the one I prefer. What should I do?
• I think a Deanery has breached the regulations. What should I do?

This is of significant importance to any doctors caught up in the recruitment process, who would have been deprived of many employment rights by these proposals.

The legislation governing the conduct of Employment Agencies was passed by Parliament in order to give protection to vulnerable workers.

A government consultation in early 2009 stated that they “… consider that [Deaneries] operate as employment agencies within the definition contained in the Act” and that they wished to introduce an exemption. Their reasons for doing so were unclear.