7/29/2019 A Report From the ASiT Conference - Ed Fitzgerald -
RCSEng Bulletin 2011
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TH E ROYAL COL L EGE OF S URGEONS OF ENGL AND B U L L E T I N
DOI: 10.1308/147363511X582356
Surgical news
A report from the ASiT
conference
Ed Fitzgerald President of ASiT, 20092010
The 2011 Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT)
conference in April saw nearly 500 delegates attending
from across the UK and Ireland. The opportunity to
meet and socialise with other surgical trainees, attend
clinical updates and trainee prize presentations, and
question royal college presidents and surgical leaders
was not to be missed.
The main conference spanned the weekend, opening with three
contrasting talks around the theme expanding your surgical
career. Lt Col Ben Banerjee spoke about military careers,
with
gripping details of current work in Afghanistan. Sir Bruce
Keogh
addressed the skills required for future NHS work and
Professor
Chris Lavy spoke passionately about his orthopaedic work in
Africa and the potential for undertaking surgery overseas.
John Black, President of the RCS, and Ian Ritchie,
Vice-President
of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, represented
their
respective colleges in the Question Time style debate with
delegates.
Throughout discussions many common concerns were clear.
Revisiting the European Working Time Directive legislation
was
seen as a priority and there was widespread concern about
the
unfavourable ratios of trainees to senior training and
consultantpost vacancies. Despite this, trainees were clear that
dilution of
the CCT or introduction of a sub-consultant role would be
fiercely opposed.
The Swann-Morton Silver Scalpel Award for excellence in
surgical training was awarded to Gavin Pettigrew, Consultant
Transplant Surgeon from Addenbrookes Hospital. The Silver
Scalpel Lecture was given by the 2010 winner Ramez Kirollos,
228
Consultant
Neurosurgeon at
Addenbrookes.
We are deeply
indebted to all our
speakers and also
our corporate
partners, who
recognise the
importance of
supporting the ASiT
conference and
investing in future
generations of
surgeons.
Plans are advancing
for our next
conference in March
2012. Following the
success of our recent
meetings we aim to reduce registration charges for
traineessignificantly next year. Abstract submissions will open in
the
autumn. Subscribe to email updates through our website:
www.asit.org.
Standards for locum surgeons
The College has published a new standards document Locum
surgeons: principles and standards, reminding trusts and
locum
surgeons that patients should expect the same standard of
care
whether they are treated by a locum doctor or a permanent
member of staff. While the majority of locum surgeons
areexcellent, the College has learnt that some locum consultant
positions are being filled by those who are not eligible to
be
appointed to a permanent consultant post; and some trusts
are
extending locum surgeon appointments for longer than a year.
The guidance reiterates that the RCS expects the same
standards of all surgeons, but due to peripatetic working
patterns locum surgeons may need to adapt existing systems
to
demonstrate how they meet them.
TRAINEES WERE CLEAR THATDILUTION OF THE CCT ORINTRODUCTION OF A
SUB-CONSULTANT ROLE WOULDBE FIERCELY OPPOSED
The RCS stand at the ASiT conference
http://www.asit.org/http://www.asit.org/
