I hope everyone had a restful and rejuvenating Christmas and festive period. I’d like to wish you all a Happy New Year.
As we step into 2025, we face another challenging year. The government this week released its plan for Reforming Elective Care; committing to reducing waiting lists while at the same time news headlines matched our own experiences of hospitals struggling to cope with annual winter pressures.
Equally, I hope there are opportunities and events to look forward to. I’d like to highlight the ASGBI International Congress in Edinburgh from 12th to 14th May and the Moynihan Academy weekend in Birmingham on 28th and 29th March. We also have an exciting range of webinars planned to cover a variety of clinical and professional areas, including next Friday's 4 Seasons - Achalasia and Reflux for the General Surgeon: From Manometry to Surgery.
I want to draw attention to the work of the Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) in their aim to minimise complications and hospital stay. CPOC is working to improve patient outcomes and experiences, empower patients and carers, and educate and develop the healthcare workforce.
Another initiative I’d like to highlight is the Improving Working Lives of Surgeons (IWOLS) project scheduled to develop its programme this year. This initiative driven by the FSSA aims to gather insights and present recommendations to NHS leaders to benefit the surgical workforce.
As we look ahead to the rest of the year, it’s clear that there’s much to stay engaged with. Let’s stay connected and continue to work together for the advancement of our profession, the betterment of patient outcomes and our own wellbeing.
