Re: Tackle shortfall in NHS funding, healthcare leaders tell health secretary
Dear Sir or Madam
Surgeons are the least satisfied with their training compared with other specialities, with a satisfaction score of 81.2 out of 100, core trainees score of 77.2, in 2014. Anaesthetic trainees report a higher satisfaction with their training: overall score of 85.6 % and a 92.7% satisfaction with day to day training, teaching and supervision.
The structure of the Acute Care Common Stem, ACCS, scheme could provide the framework for a structured national core surgery programme.
A Surgical Care Common Stem would allow first year core trainees to improve their clinical exposure through 6 month emergency department and 6 month acute surgery rotations. Such deployment of the workforce for pure service provision in year provides further resources for the burdened NHS system and cover for the acute surgical take. This would therefore allow year 2 and 3 core surgery trainees to be relatively protected from a significant on call rota to focus on their surgical skills both in theatre and in clinic.
Furthermore a set of surgical ‘core operating competencies’, mimicking the anaesthetics, should be implemented. A heavily supervised 3 month period would allow teaching and examination of the trainee. Concurrently this period could be supplemented by dedicated intense weekly teaching for anatomy and physiology. Subsequently trainees could have monthly trainees days to optimise time in theatre.
Such a programme, the Surgical care common stem, may provide the realistic training opportunities and service delivery that trainees require for their SHO years. The above training programme may tackle a shortfall in doctors.
Robert Staruch
Capt
RAMC
Academic Surgical Trainee
London Deanery
Rapid Response:
Re: Tackle shortfall in NHS funding, healthcare leaders tell health secretary
Dear Sir or Madam
Surgeons are the least satisfied with their training compared with other specialities, with a satisfaction score of 81.2 out of 100, core trainees score of 77.2, in 2014. Anaesthetic trainees report a higher satisfaction with their training: overall score of 85.6 % and a 92.7% satisfaction with day to day training, teaching and supervision.
The structure of the Acute Care Common Stem, ACCS, scheme could provide the framework for a structured national core surgery programme.
A Surgical Care Common Stem would allow first year core trainees to improve their clinical exposure through 6 month emergency department and 6 month acute surgery rotations. Such deployment of the workforce for pure service provision in year provides further resources for the burdened NHS system and cover for the acute surgical take. This would therefore allow year 2 and 3 core surgery trainees to be relatively protected from a significant on call rota to focus on their surgical skills both in theatre and in clinic.
Furthermore a set of surgical ‘core operating competencies’, mimicking the anaesthetics, should be implemented. A heavily supervised 3 month period would allow teaching and examination of the trainee. Concurrently this period could be supplemented by dedicated intense weekly teaching for anatomy and physiology. Subsequently trainees could have monthly trainees days to optimise time in theatre.
Such a programme, the Surgical care common stem, may provide the realistic training opportunities and service delivery that trainees require for their SHO years. The above training programme may tackle a shortfall in doctors.
Robert Staruch
Capt
RAMC
Academic Surgical Trainee
London Deanery
1. The National Training Survery 2014, www.gmc.org.uk
Competing interests: No competing interests