The Employment & Wellbeing page highlights essential resources to support both your career and personal wellbeing within the healthcare profession. It provides crucial support and guidance for healthcare professionals, focusing on fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful working environment. Here, you'll find valuable resources on navigating workplace challenges, promoting wellbeing, and accessing support for returning to work after significant life events. The page features key initiatives and campaigns aimed at improving workplace culture, offering practical advice and links to further guidance, ensuring that professionals have the tools they need to thrive in their careers while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Raising Concerns and Whistle Blowing
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) upholds an ethos of providing and supporting the tools for the delivery of high-quality healthcare. The College acknowledges that there may be occasions when concerns arise regarding the standard of care provided by either an individual or an institution, falling below an acceptable level.
Advice, Information and Support
Find advice on the steps to take when raising a concern, along with links to various organisations that offer guidance and support for raising concerns and whistleblowing, including charities.
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Let's Remove It
#LetsRemoveIt was launched in 2017 to tackle bullying and undermining across the surgical workforce. In 2024, this campaign will now focus its efforts on eradicating sexual misconduct in surgery.
Anti-Bullying and Undermining Campaign
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh has launched a new anti-bullying and undermining campaign called #LetsRemoveIt, aimed across the whole health service. The College is committed to eradicating bullying and undermining from the surgical and dental professions.
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Sexual Misconduct in Surgery - Let's Remove It
This UK-wide campaign, launched by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, is designed to raise awareness of Sexual Harassment and encourage zero tolerance of sexual misconduct in healthcare. We ask clinicians to 'Call it Out' if they witness it.
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RCSEd Wellbeing Week
During Wellbeing Week, the RCSEd Trainees’ Committee encourages surgical and dental teams to take a few moments to focus on themselves and their teams. Maintaining wellbeing is vital to enable the provision of optimal patient care. Wellbeing Week serves as a reminder to check in with everyone, offering support and celebrating ourselves.
RCSEd Wellbeing Week
During Wellbeing Week, engage in discussions and access resources related to wellbeing and patient safety, including webinars and podcasts. Additional external wellbeing resources are also available.
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Joe Wicks: Get Fit for Surgery – Your Path to Recovery
Joe Wicks helps people get fit for surgery
The CPOC team, the British Geriatrics Society, and Guy's & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust have collaborated with The Body Coach, Joe Wicks, to produce a range of helpful resources aimed at helping people get fit for surgery.
The Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) team, the British Geriatric Society (BGS) and Guy's & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust have collaborated with The Body Coach, Joe Wicks, on ways to help people get fit for surgery.
There are 7,000 surgical operations every day in the UK, and up to 1 in 7 people get complications after surgery. This can include issues relating to their wound, heart problems, lung infections and confusion. They can also lose independence if they are in hospital for longer than needed. People who have heart and lung problems, have two or more long-term conditions, and those who are living with frailty are particularly at risk of complications.
Increased activity and improved lifestyle choices ahead of surgery helps reduce these complications. This means patients recover quicker after surgery and get home sooner. It benefits patients, their families and hospitals, which are particularly busy in the winter months.
With the fitness videos, which are on the Bodycoach YouTube channel and CPOC website, Joe Wicks talks to Professor Jugdeep Dhesi, CPOC Deputy Director, about the importance of increasing fitness levels before surgery.
Led by Professor Jugdeep Dhesi, the resources that have been produced are:
• Two 10-min workout videos, with a patient
• Blog from Joe
• Interview with Joe
Return to Work
Taking time away from the surgical environment is very common and presents various challenges. Confidence, knowledge and surgical skills can all be affected, and the fast pace of life within theatres can be daunting for those who have just returned. This page offers information to support individuals returning to work and highlights best practices.
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Pregnancy and Surgery
Find essential information for pregnant women working in surgical environments. This page highlights challenges faced during pregnancy and offers guidance on managing radiation exposure, adjusting work schedules, and taking necessary time off. It also covers maternity leave entitlements and where to seek support while balancing a surgical career.
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Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave, and Shared Parental Leave
Find information on parenthood and the resources needed to navigate this significant life transition.
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Returning to Training
The Returning to Training page offers guidance for surgeons re-entering training after an absence, emphasising the importance of planning ahead to reduce stress. It also highlights key advice and practical tips to ensure a smooth transition back to clinical practice.
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Less Than Full-Time Training
Find details on how surgeons can opt for Less Than Full-Time training to better manage personal commitments and facilitate a healthier work-life balance. The page also highlights available options for academic trainees and their eligibility to apply for LTFT training.
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