Women’s Prize winner slams ‘unbelievable’ NHS doctor unemployment

Health & Fitness
13 Jun 2025 • 11:53 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • Rachel Clarke, author and palliative care doctor, won the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction for her fourth book, ‘The Story of a Heart.’
  • Clarke has urged Health Secretary Wes Streeting to address the potential unemployment of resident doctors due to a shortage of training posts, with approximately 20,000 doctors expected to miss out on specialty training this summer.
  • Clarke highlighted the absurdity of doctors being unemployed or seeking alternative work like Uber shifts when the NHS desperately needs them.
  • Clarke referenced a Medical Defence Union (MDU) survey revealing that over a third of working NHS doctors feel their ability to treat patients is impaired due to exhaustion from staff shortages and long hours.
  • Dutch author Yael van der Wouden won the Women’s Prize for Fiction for her debut novel, ‘The Safekeep,’ which explores themes of displacement and generational trauma.

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