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SAS Week 2022

Catch up on SAS week resources which was a week-long celebration to promote the specialty and specialist (SAS) doctors and dentists.

14 October 2022

SAS Week is a joint event with NHS Employers in partnership with the British Medical Association (BMA).

SAS week themes and resources

Monday 10 October

SAS charter and SAS as a career choice

Today is dedicated to the SAS charter and SAS as a career choice. There are resources from our stakeholders that highlight and support the SAS role, including the SAS charter. Please take part in our quick survey below and get involved on social media using #SASWeek22.

  • Listen to our video (above) from the joint chair of the joint negotiating committee for SAS. Dr Kathy McLean OBE, talks about the value of the SAS grade and the importance of the specialist and advocate role.
  • Access the SAS charter, that contains resources to help employers and SAS doctors develop an action plan to support the implementation and embedding of the SAS charter.
  • Read the BMA's guide, Who are SAS doctors?, to gain a broad understanding of the role they play, including examples and comments from SAS doctors about their career.
  • The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) calls for support for the development and recognition of SAS careers in it's publication, SAS, a viable career choice (PDF).
  • Read the AoMRC publication, Engaging and Empowering the SAS Workforce (PDF). 
  • Read the Royal College of Aneasthetists’ (RCoA) article, a spotlight on SAS roles, that showcases the profiles of several aneasthetist SAS doctors.

Take our quick survey that asks a couple of questions about the SAS charter. Your comments will help to inform its future development.

Access the SAS charter survey.

 

Tuesday 11 October

Specialist grade

In today’s resources you can find details of how one trust in Norfolk took the opportunity of the new contracts to review their medical workforce and recruit more specialist, a blog from a specialist doctor and resources and guidance to support specialist employment.

  • View our new specialist grade infographic that highlights the key aspects of the role and experience required as well as the benefits for employing organisations.

SAS specialist grade job role infographic

  • The BMA hosted a webinaron the specialist grade, the value of it to organsiations and how to support SAS doctors. This webinar was for SAS doctors and employers.
  • The BMA Northern Ireland's webinar was on recognising and celebrating SAS doctors: what we can do for you.
  • Read our case study with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, that highlights how it looked at ways to invite doctors to apply for the new specialist grade. 
  • In our joint statement with the BMA in July 2022, we agreed to work in partnership to support and encourage employers to make the best use of the specialist grade, and to ensure the highest standards of professional medical practice in NHS employing organisations when making appointment to the grade.
  • Access our resources to support you with the recruitment of specialist grade doctors. This includes, a capabilities framework, person specification, the new contract and appointment guidance. 
  • In this blog a specialist shares their experience being a SAS doctor at University of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust and the fantastic support they’ve received to help develop their career.

Wednesday 12 October

SAS in extended roles / SAS development

Today we highlight SAS in extended roles and SAS development with a case study from North Cumbria Integrated Care and many resources to support SAS development.

  • Download the SAS development guide to support the development of specialty and specialist doctors.
  • Read our guidance that explains how employers should calculate the 2021/22 SAS development fund.
  • The guidance, autonomy of SAS grade, published by the BMA, clarifies the arrangements on autonomous working for employers. It can also be used as a tool for SAS doctors, when seeking recognition of their ability to work independently.
  • Our SAS induction checklist, supports employers in providing SAS doctors with a good induction to allow a smooth transition into their new role.
  • The AoMRC has published information about the importance and benefits of SAS doctors being offered the opportunity as a mentor or mentee for personal and professional development.
  • The briefing, supporting appraisal for the SAS workforce, is a call from the Academy to make improvements to the appraisal process to promote the professional development and wellbeing of SAS doctors.
  • Read this article from AoMRC that highlights the benefits and reasons that SAS doctors make good educators and should have an instrumental role in delivering education and training.
  • Read our case study with North Cumbria Integrated Care Trust that created a new medical directorate development faculty to support and develop its SAS workforce.

Thursday 13 October

SAS advocate role and SAS wellbeing

We have a few blogs to share with you today showcasing the advocate role. Make sure you view our new SAS advocate infographic that highlights the key role and responsibilities.

  • Read our blog by Dr Kathy McLean, chair of University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, to see how it has developed the SAS advocate role and implemented the specialist grade.
  • Read this blog by a SAS advocate who is an anaesthetist at the University of Derby and Burton. She explains what it’s like to be a SAS advocate.
  • Access our SAS advocate guidance which explains the role’s purpose, suggested actions and activities for the role and the competencies required.
  • Read our blog by Dr Rob Fleming, specialty doctor and SAS advocate at Sherwood Forrest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, as he describes the benefits of the SAS advocate role for the individual and organisation.
  • Find resources and information about bullying and harassment on the BMA's website. 

SAS advocate role infographic

Friday 14 October

Equalities and the Medical Workforce Race Equality Standard (MWRES)

Today we look at equality within the SAS workforce, with an update from Professor Partha Kar on the impact of MWRES and what this means for SAS doctors.

  • Watch Professor Partha Kar in his video above. He talks about inequalities within the SAS doctor grade, highlighting the work of the MWRES and how organisations can support their SAS doctors with development and leadership opportunities.
  • The BMA in Northern Ireland discuss the flexibility the SAS grade offers international medical graduates (IMG) doctors in blog written by a specialty doctor who completed his training in Poland.
  • Read Partha Kar’s article in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on racism in the medical workforce and the priorities the MWRES team are focusing on in 22/23, including parity for SAS doctors.
  • Read the priorities and findings in the 2020 MWRES report.
  • Read this article from the British Dental Association with its support for SAS week.

We hope that you can use the content from this week as a platform to make a difference to the working lives of SAS doctors and to make improvements to your medical workforce

If you are interested in networking with other employers to discuss the SAS workforce, please express your interest by emailing doctorsanddentists@nhsemployers.org

Professor Partha Kar explains what MWRES is doing to support SAS doctors

Download our poster and use this in your organisation to promote SAS Week.

Download (PDF).