• SASsix campaign launched at the Royal Bolton Hospital to improve careers
• Bolton NHS Foundation Trust is one of the few Trusts in the country to endorse #SASsix
• Call for Doctors to be provided with development opportunities with training and progression

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust is one of the first Trusts in the country to endorse #SASsix, a campaign founded by the SAS Collective to improve the career development and retention of specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors across the UK.

Dr Francis Andrews, Medical Director at the Trust and Dr Ramesh Mahimarangaiah, SAS Lead are driving the campaign in Bolton.

Dr Andrews said:

I am very keen for our valued SAS doctors to develop their professional potential further including encompassing clinical, educational and leadership excellence.

“SAS six is the ideal route to ensuring we address this and I can’t wait to see the campaign in action across our Trust.

SAS and locally employed doctors (LEDs) make up around 30% of the medical workforce, playing a vital role in the NHS.

This is a skilled, diverse and motivated group of doctors: 83% of them have 10 or more years of experience in medicine.

Most SAS doctors work in senior roles in the NHS, treating and caring for thousands of patients every day, many running their own clinics and working autonomously.

As patient care grows ever more complex, with new technologies and treatments, the NHS needs highly skilled, specialist doctors who can care for an ageing population with multiple chronic conditions. SAS and LEDs are absolutely essential to the NHS.

SAS and LEDs are the fastest growing part of the medical workforce, increasing by 40% between 2017–2021.

A growing number of these doctors are motivated by wanting a more flexible career path and roles, geographical stability or a better work-life balance.

This is a campaign by SAS doctors, for SAS doctors.

The #SASsix policy calls are:

1. Every early career SAS doctor should have access to an educational supervisor.
2. All SAS doctors should have equity of access to professional development opportunities relevant to their stage of career.
3. All specialty doctors who meet the required capabilities should have the opportunity to become specialists.
4. Senior SAS doctors should be offered the opportunity to be educators at every level on a par with consultants e.g. educational supervisors, clinical supervisors, directors of medical education.
5. All extended roles in leadership and management should be open to all substantive medical staff that is, consultants and appropriately experienced SAS doctors.
6. All LEDs employed for more than two years within one NHS employer should be offered the opportunity to transfer to the appropriate SAS contract.

The SAS six campaign has now been endorsed or supported by the HCSA, Medical Protection, the Association of Anaesthetists, the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the Royal College of Physicians, Medical Education Leaders UK and the Medical Women’s Federation.

Dr Ramesh Mahimarangaiah said:

As SAS lead I am proud to support this outstanding initiative. SAS doctors are an essential part of the medical workforce and have been overlooked for far too long.

“Our SAS members report that they are not afforded the status and respect in hospitals that their skills deserve. Many have been denied opportunities to progress in their careers. It’s time for that to change.

“We supports the SAS Collective’s vital work campaigning for improved career development, progression and retention of SAS and locally employed doctors.