Dr Naeem Aziz, RCP SAS lead, has written an open letter to NHS organisations across the UK, calling on employers to value and support SAS doctors by offering specialty doctors the opportunity to become specialists.
Dear NHS colleagues,
This week is #SASWeek24, in which we celebrate the contribution and achievements of our specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctor colleagues.
SAS doctors (along with locally employed doctors) are the fastest growing part of the medical workforce, increasing by 40% between 2017 and 2021. In June 2024, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) published Educational and career support for SAS doctors: guidance for doctors and employers. For the first time, this resource set out royal college guidance on:
- SAS charter, advocates and tutors
- job plans and supporting professional activities time for SAS doctors
- the portfolio pathway (formerly known as CESR)
- leadership roles for SAS doctors
- autonomous practice
- career progression for SAS doctors.
I am proud to be SAS. I am proud to be the first SAS doctor in a clinical director role in Wales (possibly in the UK) as well as an educational and clinical supervisor and an appraiser. I am prouder still to be the RCP SAS lead, a fellow of my college and a member of RCP Council.
As we wrote in the introduction to our June 2024 guidance, too often, the NHS overlooks the talent and skills of SAS doctors. Eighty-three per cent of SAS doctors have 10 or more years of experience in medicine. This is a skilled, diverse and motivated group of people, and more needs to be done to support them to progress in their education and their careers.
All doctors need protected time to learn, teach and lead – after all, there is no such thing as a non-training doctor.
The RCP guidance is clear:
‘Specialty doctors with the required experience, and who meet the requirements of the GMC Generic professional capabilities framework, should be offered the opportunity to become specialists.’
So why should specialty doctors be offered the opportunity to become specialist doctors?
- Career progression: It provides a clear pathway for career advancement, allowing specialty doctors to develop their skills and take on more senior roles. This can improve job satisfaction and improve retention among experienced doctors.
- Recognition of expertise: Many specialty doctors have developed significant expertise in their field over years of practice. Becoming a specialist doctor formally recognises this advanced knowledge and experience.
- Addressing workforce shortages: In some specialties and regions, there are consultant shortages. Offering specialty doctors the chance to progress to specialist roles can help fill these gaps in the medical workforce.
- Improved patient care: Specialist doctors can provide more advanced and specialist care to patients, potentially improving outcomes, access to care and quality of service.
- Support for training and supervision: Specialist doctors can take on greater responsibilities in medical education, training and supervising resident doctors.
- Diversity in leadership: Offering career development to specialty doctors will help to create a more diverse pool of senior medical leaders, bringing a wider variety of perspectives to NHS management and decision-making.
We urge all NHS trusts and health boards to consider how they can support their SAS workforce by improving career development and support for these doctors, which will ultimately improve access to high-quality patient care. If you have a specialty doctor working in your organisation with the required experience and competencies to become a specialist doctor, please reach out to them – they deserve the opportunity to take the next step in their career.
At the RCP, we are proud to support SAS.
With best wishes,
Dr Naeem Aziz
RCP SAS lead
Associate specialist physician