Chris Whitty: Doctors must be trained in managing risk in patient care, CMO says

England's Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Chris Whitty, emphasizes the need for systematic training for doctors in clinical decision-making under conditions of uncertainty. According to Whitty, the current approach to training doctors in risk-holding is "haphazard," despite significant changes in the landscape of risks and benefits in medicine over recent decades. In his lecture on September 16, 2026, he stated that the responsibility for risk-holding has shifted over the last 30 years from resident doctors to consultants and senior consultants. This shift has negative consequences for both the health system and the doctors themselves. Whitty asserts that this situation is not ideal for patients or for doctors. Instead, the concepts and skills involved in risk-holding should be taught to doctors earlier in their careers.