RCSEd Writes to Secretary of State for Health

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Staff Morale

Surgical Training

Trainees

Mr Michael Lavelle-Jones, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, has written to the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt, asking him to consider a number of practical steps to help improve surgical training and staff morale.

Mr Lavelle-Jones said:

“Feedback from our Fellows and Members, as well as staff surveys conducted by the GMC et al, persistently point to declining morale across the NHS.

“However, we believe that our proposals, namely guaranteed time for training, the introduction of a modern day apprenticeship model of training, a review of the role of consultants and the development of a UK wide framework to develop the professional skills of non-medical staff, will fundamentally improve surgical training.

“We also believe that another term needs to be found to describe ‘junior’ or ‘trainee’ doctors. These are highly skilled and committed professionals and should be recognised as such.”

The letter, which has also been sent to stakeholders throughout the UK, can be found downloadable here.

ENDS

About The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

RCSEd (www.rcsed.ac.uk) was first incorporated in as the Barber Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1505, and is one of the oldest surgical corporations in the world with a membership of over 23,000 professionals in over 100 countries worldwide. The College promotes the highest standards of surgical and dental practice through its examinations, and is also increasingly involved in the provision of surgical training and education, offering the UK’s only Faculty of Surgical Trainers, open to all those with an interest in surgical training regardless of College affiliation. RCSEd’s commercial enterprises offer conferencing and event facilities at The Playfair Building, Symposium Hall and Quincentenary Hall, and runs the Ten Hill Place Hotel.

Find RCSEd on Twitter www.twitter.com/RCSEd and on Facebook www.facebook.com/rcsed

The College is based at Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DW and can be reached on (0)131 527 1600 or mail@rcsed.ac.uk.

For communications and media enquiries contact the Communications Department on (0)131 527 1594 or comms@rcsed.ac.uk