Agenda
College
The Digbeth building is easily accessible from Birmingham’s three city-centre railway stations
The Digbeth building is easily accessible from Birmingham’s three city-centre railway stations
Birmingham Regional Centre moves to new location in Digbeth
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh has relocated its Birmingham Regional Centre to Digbeth, Birmingham’s former industrial base, from Colmore Row.
Located on Oxford Street, the facility is close to the new BBC headquarters. It is less than a 15-minute walk from all three city-centre stations (New Street, Moor Street and Curzon Street), making it more accessible to the 40% of RCSEd Fellows and Members located in England and Wales.
The Digbeth location also holds a higher capacity than the previous facility. The largest meeting space can accommodate double the previous limit, with room for 90 theatre-style or 56 cabaret-style seats.
Politics
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the investment in the autumn Budget
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the investment in the autumn Budget
RCSEd praises £1.57bn investment in elective care
RCSEd has welcomed a new £1.57bn investment in the NHS, which will be used to tackle the backlog in elective care.
The investment was announced in Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves’ autumn Budget.
Most of the cash injection – £1.5bn – will go towards funding new surgical hubs, which will improve capacity for more than 30,000 additional procedures.
The remaining £70m will go towards radiotherapy machines to advance cancer treatment. The investment will provide capacity for more than 1.25 million additional diagnostic assessments that require CT or MRI scanners. Professor Rowan Parks, President of the College, said the investment to reduce waiting times would bring long-term benefits for patients. “We are glad to see this extra investment going into the NHS,” he said. “Treatment delays can leave patients in pain and worsen their conditions, leading to more complex issues and treatments being needed.”
He added that this would naturally lessen pressure on NHS services.
“Decreasing waiting lists and reducing waiting time for patients will ease the pressure on clinical services and, importantly, will allow a quicker return to health, improving the quality of life for many of the population. We are particularly pleased that some of the money is earmarked for investment in surgical hubs, which we have been supportive of for a long time.”
The Budget detailed how the government has allocated an extra £25.7bn for the NHS between 2024 and 2025. This includes more than £2bn for improvements to NHS technology and digital facilities to improve productivity, plus £26m for opening centres to combat mental-health crises.
International
The new location will improve collaboration with sister associations
The new location will improve collaboration with sister associations
New location for Malaysia office
RCSEd has moved its international office in Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, Malaysia.
This new location means the international RCSEd office is now co-located in a purpose-built facility that also hosts the Academy of Medicine Malaysia and local surgical specialty associations. The membership will benefit from the closer proximity to sister associations, which will enable networking opportunities and the chance to work more closely together.
The new international office in Putrajaya boasts several teaching and assessment spaces as well as an auditorium and smaller spaces to host meetings.
In the future, there will also be a shop selling College items for Fellows and Members.
College
Giving Tuesday encourages participants to donate to charity or volunteer
Giving Tuesday encourages participants to donate to charity or volunteer
RCSEd raises funds through this year’s Giving Tuesday
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh took part in this year’s Giving Tuesday, an initiative that encourages participants to donate to charity, volunteer or help a family member or friend.
Giving Tuesday was held on 3 December. The annual initiative began in the US in 2012 as a way to designate a day for giving back after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In the UK, Giving Tuesday is coordinated by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising.
Those who took part in Giving Tuesday were encouraged to donate to the College at
rcsed.ac.uk/support/donate-to-us.
Professor Rowan Parks, President of RCSEd, emphasised how a donation to RCSEd could be widely beneficial to patients worldwide.
“Since 1505, we have been committed to maintaining the highest standards in surgical education and research to improve the lives of patients across the globe,” he said. “Donations support our range of projects, from offering bursaries to the next generation of pioneering surgeons to protecting our heritage collections.”
Examinations
Faculty of Dental Surgery offers new set of diploma exams
RCSEd’s Faculty of Dental Surgery has launched a new set of examinations.
The new suite of exams is designed to recognise the work of dental practitioners who have gained expertise in a certain area. This applies to dentists who undertake a professional commitment to further their education in one or more areas of dentistry.
The criteria for these exams are based on the skills needed for providers of Tier 2 Complexity of Care as defined by NHS England or those of a dentist with a special interest. The first set of Dental Diploma Examinations will go live in 2025. These will be Dental Sedation, Paediatric Dentistry and the Restorative single-specialty examinations of Endodontics, Periodontics and Prosthodontics. Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine Diploma exams will be scheduled for a later date.
Professor Grant McIntyre, Dean of the Dental Faculty at RCSEd, said that the new diplomas would allow dentists to be recognised for a wider range of skills worldwide.
“With our long history of quality-assured assessments for the whole dental profession, these new diplomas provide an opportunity for dentists, both from the UK and countries across the world, to test their learning and understanding in one or more areas of dental practice, and evidence their achievements to themselves and their patients.”
Support
College launches SAS LED career resources
The College has released a dedicated resource document to aid with the career development of SAS (Specialty Doctors, Associate Specialists) and LED (Locally Employed Doctors) surgeons and dentists.
The resource document features key career development and advancement resources for SAS LED surgeons and dentists.
It has been authored by Professor Rowan Parks, RCSEd President; Professor Karthikeyan Iyengar, member of RCSEd SASLC committee; Mr Lasitha B Samarakoon, member of the SASLC committee; and Mr Majid Mukadam MBE, chair of the SASLC committee.
In addition, RCSEd has established a SAS LED committee that features SAS LED representatives on each of RCSEd Surgical Specialty Boards.
Currently, the SAS LED workforce constitutes 30% of all licensed doctors. By 2030, SAS doctors will be the largest group on the medical register, according to the General Medical Council.
College
The Digbeth building is easily accessible from Birmingham’s three city-centre railway stations
The Digbeth building is easily accessible from Birmingham’s three city-centre railway stations
Birmingham Regional Centre moves to new location in Digbeth
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh has relocated its Birmingham Regional Centre to Digbeth, Birmingham’s former industrial base, from Colmore Row.
Located on Oxford Street, the facility is close to the new BBC headquarters. It is less than a 15-minute walk from all three city-centre stations (New Street, Moor Street and Curzon Street), making it more accessible to the 40% of RCSEd Fellows and Members located in England and Wales.
The Digbeth location also holds a higher capacity than the previous facility. The largest meeting space can accommodate double the previous limit, with room for 90 theatre-style or 56 cabaret-style seats.
Politics
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the investment in the autumn Budget
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the investment in the autumn Budget
RCSEd praises £1.57bn investment in elective care
RCSEd has welcomed a new £1.57bn investment in the NHS, which will be used to tackle the backlog in elective care.
The investment was announced in Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves’ autumn Budget.
Most of the cash injection – £1.5bn – will go towards funding new surgical hubs, which will improve capacity for more than 30,000 additional procedures.
The remaining £70m will go towards radiotherapy machines to advance cancer treatment. The investment will provide capacity for more than 1.25 million additional diagnostic assessments that require CT or MRI scanners. Professor Rowan Parks, President of the College, said the investment to reduce waiting times would bring long-term benefits for patients. “We are glad to see this extra investment going into the NHS,” he said. “Treatment delays can leave patients in pain and worsen their conditions, leading to more complex issues and treatments being needed.”
He added that this would naturally lessen pressure on NHS services.
“Decreasing waiting lists and reducing waiting time for patients will ease the pressure on clinical services and, importantly, will allow a quicker return to health, improving the quality of life for many of the population. We are particularly pleased that some of the money is earmarked for investment in surgical hubs, which we have been supportive of for a long time.”
The Budget detailed how the government has allocated an extra £25.7bn for the NHS between 2024 and 2025. This includes more than £2bn for improvements to NHS technology and digital facilities to improve productivity, plus £26m for opening centres to combat mental-health crises.
International
The new location will improve collaboration with sister associations
The new location will improve collaboration with sister associations
New location for Malaysia office
RCSEd has moved its international office in Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, Malaysia.
This new location means the international RCSEd office is now co-located in a purpose-built facility that also hosts the Academy of Medicine Malaysia and local surgical specialty associations. The membership will benefit from the closer proximity to sister associations, which will enable networking opportunities and the chance to work more closely together.
The new international office in Putrajaya boasts several teaching and assessment spaces as well as an auditorium and smaller spaces to host meetings.
In the future, there will also be a shop selling College items for Fellows and Members.
College
Giving Tuesday encourages participants to donate to charity or volunteer
Giving Tuesday encourages participants to donate to charity or volunteer
RCSEd raises funds through this year’s Giving Tuesday
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh took part in this year’s Giving Tuesday, an initiative that encourages participants to donate to charity, volunteer or help a family member or friend.
Giving Tuesday was held on 3 December. The annual initiative began in the US in 2012 as a way to designate a day for giving back after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In the UK, Giving Tuesday is coordinated by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising.
Those who took part in Giving Tuesday were encouraged to donate to the College at
rcsed.ac.uk/support/donate-to-us.
Professor Rowan Parks, President of RCSEd, emphasised how a donation to RCSEd could be widely beneficial to patients worldwide.
“Since 1505, we have been committed to maintaining the highest standards in surgical education and research to improve the lives of patients across the globe,” he said. “Donations support our range of projects, from offering bursaries to the next generation of pioneering surgeons to protecting our heritage collections.”
Examinations
Faculty of Dental Surgery offers new set of diploma exams
RCSEd’s Faculty of Dental Surgery has launched a new set of examinations.
The new suite of exams is designed to recognise the work of dental practitioners who have gained expertise in a certain area. This applies to dentists who undertake a professional commitment to further their education in one or more areas of dentistry.
The criteria for these exams are based on the skills needed for providers of Tier 2 Complexity of Care as defined by NHS England or those of a dentist with a special interest. The first set of Dental Diploma Examinations will go live in 2025. These will be Dental Sedation, Paediatric Dentistry and the Restorative single-specialty examinations of Endodontics, Periodontics and Prosthodontics. Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine Diploma exams will be scheduled for a later date.
Professor Grant McIntyre, Dean of the Dental Faculty at RCSEd, said that the new diplomas would allow dentists to be recognised for a wider range of skills worldwide.
“With our long history of quality-assured assessments for the whole dental profession, these new diplomas provide an opportunity for dentists, both from the UK and countries across the world, to test their learning and understanding in one or more areas of dental practice, and evidence their achievements to themselves and their patients.”
Support
College launches SAS LED career resources
The College has released a dedicated resource document to aid with the career development of SAS (Specialty Doctors, Associate Specialists) and LED (Locally Employed Doctors) surgeons and dentists.
The resource document features key career development and advancement resources for SAS LED surgeons and dentists.
It has been authored by Professor Rowan Parks, RCSEd President; Professor Karthikeyan Iyengar, member of RCSEd SASLC committee; Mr Lasitha B Samarakoon, member of the SASLC committee; and Mr Majid Mukadam MBE, chair of the SASLC committee.
In addition, RCSEd has established a SAS LED committee that features SAS LED representatives on each of RCSEd Surgical Specialty Boards.
Currently, the SAS LED workforce constitutes 30% of all licensed doctors. By 2030, SAS doctors will be the largest group on the medical register, according to the General Medical Council.
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