|
Reports tabled at the AGM Peebles 2009 |
|
Chair’s report to the Scottish Society of Anaesthetists February 2009
Under our remit to ensure high standards of anaesthesia, critical care and pain medicine in Scotland, the Board has been specifically engaged in the following activities over the past year:
In our role of developing and strengthening links with devolved structures, we have engaged with NHS Education Scotland (NES) around evolving relationships and roles in Governance and Quality Management of training. Our input has particularly focussed on emphasising the well-established existing College-based structure that currently manages training in a high quality manner across the UK.
A very positive annual meeting in September between the President, Board members, AAGBI Scottish Standing convenor and the Scottish CMO covered a range of issues including revalidation, workforce, MMC and remote and rural training The CMO’s view that Scotland continues to train towards a consultant-based service was welcomed.
Board members' continuing input into the NES Anaesthesia and Emergency Medicine Specialty Training Board provides an invaluable route to influence the shape of training in Scotland in addition to contributions of individual members at Deanery and National level. The Board welcomes the recent appointment of Dr Traven McLintock, Associate Postgraduate Dean, West of Scotland as the Chair of the Specialty Board.
Through the Scottish Academy and directly we are contributing to Scottish Government Health Directorate initiatives on Medical Workforce Planning, Revalidation, EWTD compliance and post CCT training.
In our contribution to the ‘Reshaping Scotland’s Medical Workforce 2008-2018’ project, we continue to emphasise the place of the CCT in anaesthesia as a standard for independent consultant practice and the value to both patient care and to training of trainees’ contribution to provision of high quality clinical service. The value of the experiential or apprenticeship learning that flows from hands-on service provision must be recognised in addition to the acquisition of competencies.
In relation to revalidation, there is recognition by the Scottish CMO of the absolute need to maintain consistent standards across the UK, and of the high value in maintaining consistency of process where possible. The Local Responsible Officer role is being developed through local clinical governance processes and Medical Directors.
In our role of maintaining communication and consistency across the UK, the Board has contributed to realignment of standards of training with respect to person specifications and application forms for the 2009 appointments process. Delivery of training will also be realigned with other parts of the UK with uncoupling and evolution of 3 year ACCS and 2-year core training from 2009. This approvals process is in the process of resolution with PMETB. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHSQIS) ‘Standards for Anaesthesia’, first published in 2004, are due for revision in 2009. The Board will again be a partner with NHSQIS in this review. Chronic pain services in Scotland have been discussed with NHSQIS and the CMO, resulting in the recent publication of a comprehensive benchmarking report, ‘Getting Relevant Information on Chronic Pain Services in Scotland’. The Board continues to press NHSQIS to bring development of Critical Care standards onto their agenda.
With regret we said farewell and thanks to Dr John McClure for his valuable contribution over many years as elected member, Honorary Secretary and latterly as Chair of the Board until March this year. 2008 has also seen a change in secretarial support with thanks to Janette McBride for her support since 2003 and welcome to Sylvia Corbett who has kindly agreed to pick up this baton. We welcome Dr David Scott who was returned for a second term on the board and Dr Craig Beattie as the newly elected trainee representative.
I would like to record my personal thanks to all Board members for all their continuing hard work on behalf of the specialty in Scotland.
John R Colvin Chair, RCoA Advisory Board for Scotland |
|
Royal College of Anaesthetists Board for Scotland |
|
Home page | Trainees’ meeting | Annual Scientific Meeting | Scientific meeting registration form | Golf Outing | AGM Peebles 2004 | Links | Specialist Societies Information | Regional Societies information |