The College has pledged its commitment to the #SASsix campaign, a national initiative aimed at supporting specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors to develop within their careers and become leaders and educators. SAS doctors and locally employed doctors (LEDs) are the most rapidly rising group of doctors on the medical register.
The #SASsix are a series of policy calls to enhance career development, job security, and professional satisfaction for SAS and locally-employed doctors, and ensure that their contributions to the NHS are recognised.
The #SASsix asks are:
- Every early career SAS doctor should have access to an educational supervisor.
- All SAS doctors should have equity of access to professional development opportunities relevant to their stage of career.
- All specialty doctors who meet the required capabilities should have the opportunity to become specialists.
- Senior SAS doctors should be offered the opportunity to be educators at every level on a par with consultants eg educational supervisors, clinical supervisors, directors of medical education.
- All extended roles in leadership and management should be open to all substantive medical staff that is, consultants and appropriately experienced SAS doctors.
- All LEDs employed for more than two years within one NHS employer should be offered the opportunity to transfer to the appropriate SAS contract.
Dr Swetha Maddula-Batambuze, Chair of the College’s SAS subcommittee, said: “We are thrilled that our college is actively supporting the #SASSix initiative. As a committee we have been working for many of the aligned principles and hope our colleagues nationally will encourage this positive agenda.
“Our SAS and LED doctors make a vital contribution to the NHS care of patients. Our wish is for all doctors to be encouraged, trained and supported within their working environment in all aspects of eye care and surgery.”
Rob Fleming, member of the SAS Collective, the group of SAS doctors spearheading #SASsix, said “We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists for our campaign. Doctors, services and ultimately patients benefit when every doctor can achieve their potential, and we believe the SAS six campaign is a step towards achieving this. As more specialties support our campaign, we hope that these opportunities become more normal in every career.”