26th September 2016

Whistleblowing

What do you do if you believe harm has taken place? This week we heard from four experts on their interpretations on Whistleblowing.

Here is the GMC @gmcuk guidance on Whistleblowing:

http://www.gmc-uk.org/DC5900_Whistleblowing_guidance.pdf_57107304.pdf

Amongst the experts which included NCAS, GMC and Cathy Taylor our Industrial Relations Officer from the BMA, was Andrew Rowlands from Capsticks Solicitors.

A letter from Capsticks is never one you want to fall on your desk and Andrew's talk on protections for whistleblowers was sobering listening. 

QASH Day

The 6 Quality & Safety half days we have a year contribute in small part to reducing harm and highlighting lessons learned through audit and M&Ms. In addition most surgical specialities @ASPHFT hold multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTs) where upcoming cases can be discussed in order to deliver the best care for patients. Communication and lack there of is cited as the biggest reason for complaints: communication & transparency at MDT level is key and perhaps the risks inherent in blowing the whistle will not need to be taken if an MDT approach is used as routine.

Directorate meetings take place on QASH days and here's a rare shot of most of T&O round one table. Split site working means we often only see each other as we pass on the M25 so it's good to enjoy these rare treats 

Forthcoming Attractions

The closing date for Core Surgical Training is in 14 months' time. It's never too early to start Portfolio Preparation and mandatory courses get booked up quickly so now's the time to get on it. 

Regional courses are always easier to get places on the dates you want rather than London. Check out:

https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/courses/course-search/regional-courses/regional-search?letb=Kent,%20Surrey%20and%20Sussex

You'll need BSS, ATLS and CCrISP and that's your three maximum points for courses right there.

19th September 2016

Busy week this one, so here we go...

New Chair of WinS: Prof Farah Bhatti

Even Consultants need a boost these days and on Wednesday I raced out of clinic to get to the Senior Ladies Dinner held on this occasion at the Royal College of Anaesthetists, my mum's old College, in Red Lion Square (Holborn)

This is a gathering organised by Dane Carol Black, once a rheumatologist at the West Mid and now a senior policy advisor on work and health to the British Government. She is also Chair of the Board of the Nuffield Trust, the health policy think-tank.

Some truly astonishing & inspiring women leaders are there, and if I pluck up the nerve, they are so happy to share their advice & experience.

Two of my favourite Surgeons were there too: outgoing Women in Surgery (WinS) Chair Laurie Baxter @baxterlaurie and her successor Professor Farah Bhatti @drFBE

Laurie has done so much to energise women surgeons to expand their roles, broaden their skill sets and take on leadership roles. She's now driving the Emerging Leaders programme at the College @RCSnews.

Farah is phenomenal: Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, and Honorary Associate Professor at Swansea University, she was the first female CT consultant in Wales and fourth in the UK. She has delivered a Gresham College lecture at the Science Museum, was highly commended at the Asian Women of Achievement Awards and was one of only 3 surgeons named by the Health Service Journal in its inaugural BME Pioneers list. A force of nature and one of my very favourite people to catch up with at these events.

Follow my timeline @SurgicalTutor on social media for more encounters with inspiring women at the meeting where our speaker was the brilliantly articulate co-creator of the Women's Equality Party @sanditoksvig 

... and all this on a school night ...

Surgeon of the Week 

A big @ASPHFT welcome to Francesca Lirossi who joins us as a Consultant Upper GI & Bariatric Surgeon (here with @humphrey_scott)

Francesca has come to us following research years in Ohio and it the first female general surgeon in this Trust. Can't believe it is 2016 and we're still having 'firsts' like this, but it is terrific to finally break that duck.

RCS Statement on Junior Doctors Contract

http://ecomms.rcseng.ac.uk/mvcs1/ImageGallery/THE%20ROYAL%20COLLEGE%20OF%20SURGEONS%20OF%20ENGLAND/Newsletter/trainee%20members%20letter%20Sep%2016%20%5BP2%5D.pdf?utm_campaign=staff%20newsletter%20150916&utm_medium=email&utm_source=CMA_THE%20ROYAL%20COLLEGE%20OF%20SURGEONS%20OF%20ENGLAND&utm_content=

Forthcoming Attractions

Women in Surgery Conference 2016

Book now to attend the WinS Meeting on Friday 30th September @RCSnews 

http://surgicalcareers.rcseng.ac.uk/wins/women-in-surgery-events/women-in-surgery-conference-friday-30-september-2016

Rates are variable according to grade and a great line-up of speakers is promised.

Surgical Careers Event for Med Students

Weds 19th October @RCSnews 

Good programme includes some Basic Surgical Skills as well as talks from Surgical trainees for a broad insight into a  surgical career. A good certificate to add to your portfolio.

Future Orthopaedic Surgeons Conference 

Saturday 10th December @RoySocMed: this is aimed at FY doctors and medical students 

https://www.rsm.ac.uk/events/events-listing/2016-2017/sections/orthopaedics-section/orh03-future-orthopaedic-surgeons-conference-2016.aspx

12th September 2016

This week it was business as usual as the September strike week was called off. This has given us time to put plans together for the next one in October where the five days falls across a weekend, but of course the contract roll-out rumbles on.

Away days

On Wednesday I visited Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury for the Mock FRCS (Tr&Orth) exams.

This is a PFI (private finance initiative) and a lovely light-filled open plan space. Visitors can refer to many TV screens giving airport-style information on the running of the clinics and areas of the hospital are colour-coded and clearly signposted. Lovely. 

The Mocks were organised by Mr Neil Slater @MTWnhs and as always we were grateful for the kind support of the public who allowed themselves to be poked & prodded by registrars of all grades.

Up to Date

Mandatory training is not just for junior doctors, consultants have to do it too. This week I joined a packed room full of healthcare professionals from O&G, Paeds and A&E for Level 3 Child Protection training. 

We listened to Eileen White our Safeguarding Named contact on best practice and heard some harrowing case studies.

Local Negotiating Committee

Friday saw the meeting of the LNC. This is a panel of elected BMA reps drawn from the Consultant body, Speciality & Associate Specialist (SAS) doctors and doctors in training. Together with Cathy Taylor, our BMA Industrial Relations Officer, we meet with representatives from the Board such as (on this occasion) the Deputy Medical Director Dr Imrie, the Deputy HR Director Phil Spivey and Kate Clarke also from Human Resources.

As it is so early in the academic year, junior doctor rep elections haven't happened yet but two volunteers Deborah Aldridge and Ellie James came along to share their thoughts 

We covered topics such as draft Study Leave policies, updates on the STP project (Sustainability & Transformation, with Epsom & RSCH) and our poor showing in the @gmcuk NTS Survey this year. As BMA members we are in dispute about the contract imposition, so we cannot talk about that. 

ICYMI...

Victoria Derbyshire debated the Junior Doctors' Strike on Wednesday: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07tqb3y

Watch and you'll see our own T&O Consultant Ashwin Unnithan making his point: 

Ashwin starts formally in April 2017 but as he's helping us out you may see him around already. Or on the TV.

Forthcoming Attractions

Hurry now to book a place on the @RoySocMed orthopaedic introductory course First Steps on 24th Sept:

https://www.rsm.ac.uk/events/events-listing/2015-2016/sections/trainees-committee/trg12-orthopaedic-trauma-first-steps-2016.aspx

This is aimed at Foundation Years and CT1s, and has a great Faculty. 

5th September 2016

Summer's Over

Days are shortening, holidays are over and there's a chill in the air... Industrial action. Not much time to plan this time so it would be so appreciated if you could be as thorough in the run-up to Sept 12th as you were for the other days by preparing ahead as much as possible for safe discharges and making sure action plans are in the notes from the ward rounds. 

Guidance on Industrial Action for those who are not junior doctors from @theBMA is found here:

https://www.bma.org.uk/news/2016/april/non-junior-doctors-guidance-for-industrial-action

Mind the Rota Gap

I'd like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported the wards and rotas by covering the gaps that have become apparent since Induction. In particular those who have helped out on their zero days in T&O: you're all superstars and it shall not go unrecognised. 

T&O have at least three posts unfilled and it is inevitable this causes an extra burden. It's no comfort to know this situation is replicated across the country with some units closing their doors altogether. Horton Hospital has closed its maternity for example and more than one A&E is reducing opening hours.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-37237302

Post-Francis it is heartening to see safe staffing taken appropriately seriously, including here at the former Mid Staffs where paediatrics has been suspended:

https://www.bma.org.uk/news/2016/august/nhs-trust-suspends-emergency-paediatric-care?imgdoctors=

Rota gaps are being collated here: http://nhskeyhole.org/rotagaps/

Should the new contract go ahead, it will be the responsibility of the Guardian of Safe Working to collect this data and act on it.

Forthcoming Attractions

This FREE event on Saturday 15th October @RCSNews is a must if you're an F1 thinking about Surgery as a career:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/asit-preparing-for-a-career-in-surgery-tickets-26739304981

And Finally ...

In the days before National Selection could send you anywhere, it was not unusual to study, train and finally practice in a relatively contained area. By chance a particular couple of years' intake from (what was then) Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School produced a phenomenal number of orthopaedic surgeons and we have seem to have settled on Frimley, the Rowley Bristow and Royal Surrey to be consultants and have working relationships built up over approaching three decades.

It is therefore with tremendous sadness we learned this week of the passing of our Royal Surrey colleague, Neil Bradley,

one of the biggest personalities in the business. 

Our thoughts are with his family and his @RoyalSurrey colleagues