I read in the Echo today that only a few of the beds in Portland were occupied by those who live in Portland and the rest by others from around Weymouth and beyond and the move is due to staff shortages.

This is pretty typical throughout the country BUT it is the thin end of the wedge and if we’ valued’ our staff more there would be more entering and staying in the profession.

It is about time this country woke up to the fact that so many medics of all levels are leaving the NHS in their droves.

A friend, who was a fantastic GP prior to her retirement earlier in the year, has a daughter who is just going into her second year as a junior doctor.

She will complete her second year, the third is to be spent abroad and she may not return.

She wants to be an anaesthetist and is a wonderful, talented and dedicated young lady but sadly another country, probably Australia or New Zealand, with benefit from her training, skills and worth as a doctor and she will have a wonderful life. Who can blame her?

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