Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) Consultant Workforce in the UK: Pension pressures, changing job-plans, changing demographics, recruitment issues and the COVID backlog in elective surgery mean that urgent action and strategic planning are needed

Abstract

Introduction: UK OMFS training means that the time between completing training and reaching retirement age is short. Mean retirement age is 59.6 years for UK doctors giving the average OMFS consultant approximately 20 years of practice. Current pension tax regulations, new consultant posts having 10 session job plans, increasing proportion of female specialists and backlog of elective care created by COVID-19 may create a significant gap between workforce and work needed. Methods: The age of current OMFS consultants was estimated using the date of their primary medical/dental qualification, changes in job plans using data from the BAOMS Workforce Census and from job-plans of recently advertised posts and unfilled posts from Regional Specialty Professional Advisors (RSPAs). Results: First degree dates were identified for 476 OMFS substantive consultant posts. Estimated average age was 52.7 years (minimum 35.9, maximum 72.1), 75th centile age 59.0 with 23% of the current workforce above the average retirement age for doctors. New consultant posts were all 10 sessions (40 hours), whereas existing consultants average 12.1 sessions. Current vacancies are summarised here: Conclusions: A significant number of the OMFS consultant workforce is above the average retirement age. Loss of senior colleagues from the workforce if added to differences between existing and new job plans and a higher proportion of female specialists may require both increasing number of specialty training posts and more effective recruitment. Introduction: UK OMFS training means that the time between completing training and reaching retirement age is short. Mean retirement age is 59.6 years for UK doctors giving the average OMFS consultant approximately 20 years of practice. Current pension tax regulations, new consultant posts having 10 session job plans, increasing proportion of female specialists and backlog of elective care created by COVID-19 may create a significant gap between workforce and work needed. Methods: The age of current OMFS consultants was estimated using the date of their primary medical/dental qualification, changes in job plans using data from the BAOMS Workforce Census and from job-plans of recently advertised posts and unfilled posts from Regional Specialty Professional Advisors (RSPAs). Results: First degree dates were identified for 476 OMFS substantive consultant posts. Estimated average age was 52.7 years (minimum 35.9, maximum 72.1), 75th centile age 59.0 with 23% of the current workforce above the average retirement age for doctors. New consultant posts were all 10 sessions (40 hours), whereas existing consultants average 12.1 sessions. Current vacancies are summarised here: Conclusions: A significant number of the OMFS consultant workforce is above the average retirement age. Loss of senior colleagues from the workforce if added to differences between existing and new job plans and a higher proportion of female specialists may require both increasing number of specialty training posts and more effective recruitment.