The Operating Theatre Journal - Flipbook - Page 3
SEPTEMBER
2020
October 2023
SEPTEMBER
2020
SEPTEMBER 2020
THETHE
THE
ISSUE
NO.
360 ISSN
ISSN
0000-000X
ISSUE
NO.
397
ISSN
2756-2743
ISSUE
NO.
360
ISSN
0000-000X
ISSUE NO. 360
ISSN 0000-000X
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NHS workforce crisis needs immediate reforms
alongside longer-term plans
NHS workforce crisis needs
immediate reforms
P3
With healthcare strikes in the news once again, the Association of Professional Staf昀椀ng Companies (APSCo)
has warned that the NHS Workforce Plan is still missing the mark and will have little immediate impact on
the skills crisis.
RCS England statement on
Physician Associates and the
extended surgical care team
P3
The HCPC publishes its
Environmental Sustainability
Statement
P4
Region-wide AI deal to help
tackle waiting lists across
nine NHS trusts
P8
“This includes a plan to ensure that there are not only suf昀椀cient, but also appropriate, 昀氀exible training
pathways that enable new routes into careers in healthcare. We also believe that there needs to be an
assessment of how the funding and contractual terms for the supply of clinical staff are affecting the ability
to change the supply pipeline and skill-mix.
New state-of-the-art surgical
innovation and training centre
in the heart of Munich
P9
“While attracting resources is a problem, retention issues also prevail and haven’t been covered in much
detail in the plan. Workforce unrest and burnout are real problems in the healthcare sector and if these
aren’t adequately addressed, the success of any recruitment strategies will be limited.
New state-of-the-art operating
theatres open at the Alexandra
Hospital
P11
“Conversations with our members have also highlighted that there needs to be a more detailed assessment
as to how the plan can be successfully delivered across all regions and what the implications of over or under
supply will be.
NHS Trust uses RealWear
headsets for training
P12
State-of-the-art Endoscopy
Unit at King’s Lynn
P15
The Shift to Reusable
Scrub Caps
P17
New heart laser procedure
launched to speed up
treatment times
P21
Princess Alexandra Hospitals
NHS Trust Achieves 4,000kg
Waste Reduction
P22
New Smart Solutions Could
Replace Current Infection
Testing
P23
Tania Bowers, Global Public Policy Director at APSCo commented:
“The workforce crisis in the NHS isn’t easily resolved and while the NHS Workforce Plan has been designed
to create a more sustainable access to resources, the impact of most tactics could take 15+ years to be truly
felt. APSCo has previously highlighted that access to globally trained healthcare professionals needs to be
more widely available, but conversations with our members have highlighted a number of additional changes
needed in this strategy.
“With strikes once again plaguing the sector, more immediate solutions are required beyond the Workforce
Plan. In particular, the red tape many employers face when hiring agency workers needs to be cut. An
example is the lack of conformity around pre-hiring compliance and safety checks of permanent and agency
staff which is contributing to the increased costs and delays of getting nurses and doctors in front of patients.
A specialist, compliant to work for a Trust hospital under one CCG, may not necessarily be so at another
hospital or primary care centre that operates under the same group, meaning there is minimal agility or
responsiveness in workforce management.”
About APSCo
The Association of Professional Staf昀椀ng Companies (APSCo) is the trade association for the professional
recruitment market. APSCo Global comprises APSCo Asia, APSCo Australia, APSCo Deutschland and APSCo
United Kingdom as well as APSCo OutSource, the trade body for the RPO and MSP sectors.
Find out more: www.apscouk.org
RCS England statement on Physician Associates and
the extended surgical care team
We are aware of the concerns expressed by our
colleagues regarding the current and planned
expansion of non-medically quali昀椀ed roles, which will
inevitably affect the surgical team. We share concerns
about the activities that some members of the
extended surgical team have anecdotally been allowed
to undertake locally. We believe that, implemented
appropriately, the introduction of roles such as
Surgical Care Practitioners (SCP), Physician Associates
(PA) and Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) provides
an opportunity to improve patient care and enhance
the training surgical trainees receive.
As surgical leaders it is our long-held view that, the
roles of non-medical practitioners should be developed
more strategically, valuing and supporting a diversity
of roles and skills while being careful not to crudely
substitute doctors in training with other staff groups.
RCS England has worked hard to ensure that the
Surgical Care Practitioner (SCP) role has clear
standards of practice, a training pathway and robust
governance. Alongside this, we have produced a set of
guidelines and tools for the extended surgical team.
However, we are aware that there remains a gap
in standards for other roles working within the
extended surgical care team, such as the Physician
Associate (PA), and we are working with colleagues
in the other surgical colleges and the surgical
specialty associations to address this. We will
ensure that trainee and extended surgical care
team representatives are involved in this work.
The NHS is under signi昀椀cant pressure, and
understandably, surgical teams will look for willing
pairs of hands. However, such roles must be
developed in line with national guidance on scope of
practice and clear and robust standards for training
and accreditation. This will ensure that roles and
responsibilities are clear, “scope creep” is avoided,
surgical trainees are not undermined, training
opportunities are protected, and patients are safe.
Until full national guidance is developed, we ask that
caution be exercised when deciding on the scope
of activities that Physician Associates in extended
surgical teams are asked to undertake.
Find out more 02921 680068 • e-mail admin@lawrand.com
Issue 397
Inside this issue
A re昀氀ection on my learning as
an individual and as part of a
team during my second-year
anaesthetic placement
P24-25
Jessop Wing maternity team
recognised with national
award nomination
P31
Heart and lung problems to be
target of new Coventry centre
P32
Saudi Surgeon Saves Hand
of 30-year-old
P35
President of The Physiological
Society congratulates 2023
Nobel Prize winner
p35
Professor Ali Ghoz treats 100
patients with Arthrosamid®
P36
Methley Park: Robot to work
alongside surgeons
P37
Patients treated sooner thanks
to joint working to improve
orthopaedic care
P38
Southern Trust rubber-stamps
Craigavon surgery move plan
P39
October 2023
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