Supporting the NHS with Professional Review and Service Improvement
SupportEd is proud to launch the College’s new Professional Review Service, delivered by the Professional Standards Office. Professional Reviews will encompass the review work expected of an external review, however they will take a whole-team approach and seek to collaborate with individuals, surgical MDTs, and Health Care Leaders with the aim to implement bespoke change over the medium term.
Professional Reviews
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh can offer Trusts, Health Boards and independent healthcare providers expert, independent and objective advice to address difficulties and help improve surgical performance and patient outcomes.
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NHS England Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT)
The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is a national NHS England programme designed to improve the treatment and care of patients through in-depth review of services, benchmarking, and presenting a data-driven evidence base to support change.
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Professional Standards Office
The Professional Standards Office (PSO) is responsible for ensuring that the RCSEd’s core educational, examination and audit activities are focused on continuously improving patient care and surgical standards.
Find Out MoreSupporting Team Development and Appraisal
SupportEd seeks to bring training of the whole surgical team to the heart of its activities. The College champions training through our Faculty of Surgical Trainers and Faculty of Dental Trainers – becoming a trainer is a skill in its own right and requires constant development throughout our careers.
SupportEd is currently developing a structured Surgical Team Appraisal. A group appraisal gives team members an incentive to support their colleagues rather than competing. Group appraisals reinforce collaboration, mutual respect and support and ensure that all members of a surgical team feel valued.
As surgeons, we are all aware of how important good surgical training is to the quality and safety of the care we can deliver for the benefit of our future patients.
As trainers, we face significant challenges to maintaining the high quality of training and we must now strive to deliver training in less time and in a far more distributed environment than before.
To date, there has been no stipulation of the standard needed to become a surgical trainer. This situation differs in primary care where there is a recognised and rigorous selection and training process to be recognised as a GP trainer. It also means that GP trainers are properly recognised and remunerated for their role, whereas in surgery the training role is rarely rewarded. The Faculty of Surgical Trainers has now produced a set of Standards for Surgical Trainers.
Read the latest version of the Standards for Surgical Trainers.
The Faculty of Surgical Trainers (FST) is the first of its kind in the UK and its purpose is to help support and develop surgeons in their role as surgical trainers. It works to increase the profile and recognition of surgical education and training.
Faculty of Surgical Trainers
Click on the link below to learn more about the Faculty of Surgical Trainers.
Find Out MoreHaving a centre accredited by the College demonstrates that it meets the same rigorous internal quality assurance processes as the teaching spaces within the College.
RCSEd Centre Accreditation
Visit the page below for the list of centres accredited by the College.
Find Out MoreThe purpose of the Faculty of Dental Trainers (FDT) is to enhance patient care and safety by promoting the highest standards of training in dentistry and to support trainers in developing their roles.
Faculty of Dental Trainers
Click on the link below to learn more about the Faculty of Dental Trainers.
Find Out MoreThe non-technical skills of surgeons (NOTSS) play a significant role in patient safety. RCSEd is at the epicentre of an initiative to build a taxonomy and training system and raise awareness of the importance of NOTSS. This demonstrates our commitment to patient safety and why we support the World Health Organisation’s World Patient Safety Day.
Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS)
Click on the link below to view all NOTSS resources.
Find Out MoreNon-Technical Skills for Surgeons Introductory Videos
NOTSS Introductory Videos were produced by the University of Edinburgh in conjunction with the RCSEd for the ChM in Clinical Ophthalmology programme.
Watch HereNOTSS References and Publications List
Click on the link below to find NOTSS references, reading lists and publications.
ViewNon-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS) Course
The NOTSS course gives participants practical experience of observing and rating non-technical behaviours.
Book HereThis innovative educational initiative was developed as a direct and constructive response to the communication inadequacies exposed by the Montgomery case, and subsequent legislation. While it is not difficult to give ‘more information’ it is harder for surgeons and patients to achieve a decision partnership.
The ICONS workshop content has been informed by internationally recognised experts in Shared Decision Making, by consensus among senior practising surgeons, by patients and by professional experts in risk management and risk communication.
Delegates on the ICONS workshops will acquire skills and knowledge to implement best practice in sharing the complex decisions surrounding informed consent. By participating in a workshop, they will also contribute to the development of resources for future training in the important area of informed consent.
This course demonstrates our commitment to the global health priority of patient safety and why we support the World Health Organisation’s World Patient Safety Day.
Informed Consent: Sharing the Decision (ICONS) Course
Suitable for all grades of trainees; SAS/LED/Trust Doctors; Consultants. Non FRCS surgeons – Ophthalmologists; Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, SCP.
Book HereSupporting the NHS Workforce
The College can offer direct support to NHS organisations struggling with recruitment and retention. Through the International Postgraduate Deanery, employers can engage in ethical recruitment of international medical graduates seeking temporary training in the NHS. The College can also support you with long-term recruitment of consultants by providing you with RCSEd Fellows for AACs and appointment panels.
International Postgraduate Deanery
The International Postgraduate Deanery (IPD) is dedicated to supporting International Medical Graduates (IMGs) in their training within the UK, as well as assisting NHS Trusts and Health Boards in the development of international doctors.
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Advisory Appointment Committees
Advisory Appointment Committees (AACs) are the process through which non-Foundation Trusts in England advertise and fill consultant level posts and function in accordance with the NHS (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations 1996 and Good Practice Guidance 2005.
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