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Parity of opportunity

SAS doctors have been educational supervisors for many years and find it a rewarding role. Dr Kirstin May and Dr Robert Fleming discuss the importance of SAS doctors in education.

The GMC has recognised that the quality of clinical care and the safety of patients are crucially dependent on the quality of training provided within the health service, not only in relation to skills and knowledge but also in relation to professionalism. The GMC has recognised for many years that trainers must be trained, accredited, supported and quality-assured.

Specialty and Specialist (SASs) and locally employed doctors (LEDs) are the fastest growing part of our workforce, with numbers increased by 40% over the last five years. Projecting forward, they are expected to be the workforce’s largest group on the GMC register by 2030 (GMC workforce report 2022). Not only will the NHS depend heavily on this part of the workforce to provide services to patients, but also to train future generations of doctors and other healthcare professionals.

The 2021 SAS contracts set a clear expectation that specialty doctors should get involved in non-clinical activities to develop their range of expertise as well as ensure their progress through the higher pay threshold. Varied and relevant non-clinical experience and activity is an essential requirement for appointment as a specialist. Our appraisal and revalidation system sets an expectation of all doctors, regardless of grade, to be active in quality improvement, and encourages teaching, leadership, management, research and innovation.

Chapter 18: Guidelines on the Provision of Anaesthesia Services for Cardiac Procedures 2025

All cardiac units should have regular multidisciplinary morbidity and mortality meetings. These should have a list of patients to discuss in advance, an attendance register, and minutes with learning points. Consultant or autonomously practising anaesthetists should attend these meetings and, where possible, inclusion in job plans should be considered. Trainees should be encouraged to attend during their attachments.

Anaesthetic Wellbeing Network

Dr James Wicker updates us on AWN's important work, which involves members sharing ideas and supporting each other.

The Anaesthetic Workforce: UK State of the Nation Report 2024 was a sobering reminder of the challenging working environment we find ourselves in. An Anaesthetic Wellbeing Network was born two years before that, meeting online for the first time in February 2022. 

It was an attempt to share ideas on how to improve the working conditions of healthcare providers within a network of anaesthetists and clinicians with an interest in this field from the Kent, Surrey and Sussex/London region. The group has proved to be very successful, and has grown, with colleagues from around the country joining virtually, every few months.

So, what have we achieved as a group and what do we hope to do next?

Temporary Examination Eligibility (TEE)

TEE allows practising anaesthetists overseas to satisfy the membership requirement and become eligible to take the Primary FRCA examinations.

Chapter 16: Guidelines for the Provision of Anaesthesia Services for Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery 2025

Educational opportunities for anaesthetists in training in MTC and TU will undoubtedly occur during predictable job planned consultant direct clinical care sessions out of hours as a result of the nature of trauma. Hospitals in which anaesthetists in training work a full or partial shift system should consider providing additional consultant programmed activities to allow training and supervision to take...