The College does a great deal, directly and indirectly, to support its Fellows and Members in their professional activities. In pursuit of the College’s aim - enabling surgeons to achieve and maintain the highest standards of surgical practice and patient care - the President and Trustees, supported by the College staff:
- Provide strategic leadership by engaging at the highest level with Government, the Department of Health, national and local commissioners, Trusts, regulatory and professional bodies to influence national healthcare policy. As a professional body the College is uniquely placed to demonstrate best surgical practice and to lobby for improved care for patients.
- Produce and circulate a regular output of major policy documents that help shape health services at national and local level.
- Have developed and are constantly updating, in partnership with the sister colleges and the specialist associations, the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme that underpins surgical training throughout the country to meet the needs of trainees and trainers.
- Offer a full programme of educational activities for surgeons at all levels and across all specialties ranging from basic skills courses to advanced specialist masterclasses, many hundreds delivered regionally.
- Provide professional leadership for local surgeons to access informal advice and support through the regional Professional Affairs Boards headed up by the RCS Director for Professional Affairs.
- Play a central role in the advisory appointments committee process to ensure that those appointed consultants are fully trained and competent.
- Enable a wide range and large number of research and travelling Fellowships, scholarships and grants, eponymous lectureships and other awards.
Additionally, the College:
- Maintains an extensive and effective network of communications with Fellows and Members including regional representatives and coordinators, visits and road shows and a comprehensive and regularly updated website and e-newsletter.
- Provides a wide range of facilities for individual Fellows and Members, ranging from electronic library and information services and accommodation on its premises to the provision of a confidential advice and support service.
Right now, the President and others are centrally involved in initiatives to:
- Ensure Fellows and Members are prepared for the expected introduction of medical revalidation.
- Promote surgeons as the source of advice and guidance on the commissioning of both local and national surgical services.
- Influence effective reconfiguration of services at national and local level.
- Promote patient safety as a cornerstone of good surgical practice and for delivering a safe and effective surgical service for patients.
- Seek flexibility at European and national levels for surgery from the European Working Time Regulations.
- Establish a professional voice for surgery in Health Education England and local education and training boards.
View further information on the College's priorities for the current year.
