FPC Mission
To provide leadership, support, education and career development for the extended surgical team, who play an integral role in delivering safe, high-quality perioperative care.
What is the Faculty of Perioperative Care
Perioperative care encompasses the full continuum of a patient's surgical journey, from the moment a decision to operate is made, through the procedure itself, to recovery and discharge. It is delivered across a wide range of clinical settings and by a diverse, multi-professional team in which non-medical practitioners play an increasingly central role.
The Faculty supports a broad range of practitioners working within and alongside the surgical team, including Surgical Care Practitioners, Surgical First Assistants, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Advanced Clinical Practitioners, Consultant Surgeons, SAS and Locally Employed Doctors, and Surgical Residents. Together, these professionals work in NHS hospitals and independent sector providers across the United Kingdom, as well as in defence medical services and other specialist settings. Their contribution spans the operating theatre, surgical wards, pre-assessment clinics and critical care environments — reflecting the breadth of what perioperative care truly means in modern surgical practice.
FPC Connection with the College and IEST
The Faculty of Perioperative Care is the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's home for professionals working across the perioperative pathway. It works as part of a wider intercollegiate framework led by the Intercollegiate Extended Surgical Team (IEST) Board, which brings together the surgical Royal Colleges to set national standards, scope of practice and career frameworks for the extended surgical team.
Within this model, the FPC's role is delivery, translating the standards and frameworks agreed by the IEST Board into education, professional development, and membership recognition for practising professionals. The FPC also administers the Surgical Care Practitioner Managed Voluntary Register (MVR) on behalf of the IEST Board.
The Managed Voluntary Register
The Managed Voluntary Register (MVR) is a free register launched in August 2023, open to trainee and qualified Surgical Care Practitioners (SCPs). It enables SCPs to demonstrate that they meet nationally agreed standards, providing assurance to employers, patients and the public. Supported by the Surgical Royal Colleges, NHS workforce bodies and accredited universities, the MVR strengthens professional governance and gives SCPs a formal presence in shaping the future of the extended surgical team.
Join Managed Voluntary Register
Click the button below to learn more and join the managed voluntary register.
Join hereWorking Together
The FPC works collaboratively with the IEST Board and partner Colleges to ensure that workforce innovation is balanced with patient safety, professional standards and public trust. The Royal College of Surgeons of England leads on workforce planning and development, while the FPC focuses on professional development, education and membership, ensuring that the two organisations work in a complementary and aligned way.