Trust gains funding to help 12 SAS doctors

A pilot project that supports 12 staff grades, associate specialist and speciality doctors has started following a funding boost.

The funding – gained following a successful bid to Health Education Kent, Surrey and Sussex – will allow each doctor to have a committed educational supervisor throughout their time in the project and give them similar support to trainee doctors.

The innovative project, set up by Medical Education, will help engage, recruit and retain these staff – known as SAS doctors - and shows that the Trust fully supports the national SAS Doctors’ Charter. It will also help them to achieve the GMC Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) and is recognized as a route for career development to becoming a Consultant.

Adrian Simoes, a SAS Tutor at the Trust, and Lara Pimblett, the Medical Education Operational Support Manager, attended the annual SAS Conference in London in June to present the project to SAS Doctors and Tutors.The proposed pilot scheme was welcomed and seen as a positive way forward for SAS Doctors wanting to progress their careers.

Lara Pimblett said: “It is great that we have gained funding for this pilot scheme and it will really show our commitment to SAS doctors as well as the support we can offer them at the Trust.”

For further information on this Medical Education project please contact lara.pimblett@nhs.net

For more information on the SAS Doctors’ Charter go to:

https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/contracts/sas-contracts/sas-charters

See also: http://meded.ekhuft.nhs.uk/sas-doctors/