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Welcome to October's issue of the Bulletin. As I write this piece, we may be struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel for UK healthcare; an unprecedented state of industrial action by doctors at all stages of their careers, the recent release of an open report on sexual misconduct in healthcare and, as clinicians, the challenges of ensuring high quality care for patients can be a daily struggle. The height of the pandemic may be behind us, but the disparities it has revealed will have to be addressed for years to come.
A new year signals a new Editor for the Bulletin, and it gives me immense pleasure to welcome you to the January 2023 edition. As I write this, the UK’s NHS is experiencing winter pressures, nurse strike action seems imminent, purple seems the new black in terms of hospital bed status, and elective surgical recovery targets seem an insurmountable challenge. It would be easy to feel discouraged, but a new year always heralds new hope.
Scrolling through the articles in this Bulletin, I am filled with delight at the examples and opportunities for change during these uncertain times. Innovation has long been the forte of our specialties – doing things differently, more efficiently, and more safely for the betterment of patient care. Whether it is the small tweaks made to TIVA settings, the slight adjustment of the ultrasound image during a nerve block, or refining the ergonomics of running an operating theatre list or ICU ward round, continuous improvement is innate to our specialties and specialists.