It also reveals what Co-Chair and non-medic Lindsay Cooke calls “a frightening level of anger, despair and disillusion among doctors working on the front line every day.”

The stated aims of MMC were to improve patient care and postgraduate medical training. 78% of all respondents say that patient care and postgraduate training is worse than previously.

Very few (just 1%) could comment on MMC positively.

“Disgraceful. A danger to patient care both in the short term but especially in the long term. Driven out some of the best young doctors who could have been valuable members of their chosen specialty.”

“An utter shambles. A disgraceful attempt by politicians to change a system that was working quite well. “

“Terrible implementation of some laudable aims. Railroaded through against the opposition of the majority of the profession by a few disconnected educationalists.”

“The intention was good but the implementation was a total and utter disgrace.”

For some, the personal impact has been considerable.

“My career has continued but only with the needless sacrifice of all other areas of my life including my home, friends, family and marriage.”

“Last year was the worst year of my life. I suffered severe depression for the first time. A lack of control was no doubt the main trigger. Having always been a high achiever it was a shock to have the door slammed in my face. It has taken me a year to get back on an emotional even keel.”

“I have absolutely no bloody idea any more why I bothered to go through the amount of shit that I have had to put up with to then be left on the career scrap-heap.”

“I have no confidence in the medical leadership, and have seen a huge change in medical training and morale.”

When asked what recommendations they would make to someone considering a career in medicine, just 17% were unequivocally positive. Overall (51%) the view is to ‘consider it carefully’, that ‘it will be hard work’, ‘it will be less financially rewarding than alternative careers’ and there will ‘be uncertainty about the future’. 26% would not advise someone to take up a career in medicine.

The survey also reveals that junior doctors are little different from other young graduate professionals.

Just 19% came from so-called ‘medical’ families – those where a parent is a doctor. Nearly half (48%) are still paying off student loans. The average debt on graduation was about £15,000 and the average amount still owing stands at around £8000.

About the survey: 6831 RemedyUK members were emailed between 18th September 2008 and 2nd October 2008. Those who had not replied were sent one reminder. Responses were received from 877, representing a 13% response rate. No incentive was provided. The emails were branded ‘RemedyUK’. RemedyUK membership is skewed to younger doctors and doctors in training as opposed to Consultants and GPs. We have conducted a weighting exercise to examine the likely response as if it came from a representative cross section of all doctors working in the NHS in England; however, the quoted report uses un-weighted data.

Although every survey differs in terms of response, 13% is high.

Web scripting and hosting was conducted by Toluna, one of Europe’s leading internet field agencies. The survey was conducted by Prospect Consulting UK Ltd within the Market Research Society’s Code Of Conduct and funded by a grant from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd.

The full Survey presentation can be downloaded from here. The free-text comments expressed are those of individual respondents and do not necessarily reflect the views of RemedyUK.