Dear SAS Doctors
Welcome to the Health Education England West Midlands SAS doctors web page. I am Associate Postgraduate Dean for SAS doctors in the region; I look forward to working closely with the SAS tutors and all of you to enhance opportunities for your career and professional development.
I am an Associate Specialist in General and Vascular Surgery at University Hospital of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, I have been working in the Trust since 2005. Prior to taking up the role of Associate Postgraduate Dean at the Health Education England in October last year, I was SAS tutor at UHDB for about 4 years. I am also SAS representative at the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, member of Intercollegiate Committee for SAS Education, GMC Associate, PLAB examiner, accredited medical appraiser, SAS representative in LNC and have been an interviewer for admission to undergraduate and graduate entry programmes to study medicine at University of Nottingham.
I am very passionate about SAS doctors and strongly believe that we are an absolute integral part of NHS. We constitute 20-30% of the medical workforce and therefore should be at the heart of any medical workforce transformation plans. We provide NHS with the workforce which is flexible and contours to the ever-changing need for safe patient care. We are different and our developmental need varies, and it is our intention at HEE that we cater for all SAS doctors in their professional aspirations. This includes but is not limited to support for CESR or progression to become a “Specialist” (new senior SAS grade). There is so much potential within us to be educators at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and we will be exploring opportunities for SAS doctors to be trained and be recognised in roles such as educational and clinical supervisors. We will focus on development of leadership skills and overcoming the barriers to the recognition of SAS doctors as leaders. Those relatively new to the role or NHS, have different need; we will work with the tutors and Trusts to provide them with necessary support including access to a buddy, coach, or a mentor.
I am privileged to have an excellent network of SAS tutors and have a very committed SAS steering group at HEE, we will work in partnership to look after your developmental needs. Nothing is possible without your engagement and support; I therefore, would urge you to please come forwards with any feedback or suggestion. We will listen!
Please do not hesitate to contact us at sasdoctors.midlands@hee.nhs.uk for any general queries or feedback. You can also contact me directly at fuad.abid@hee.nhs.uk
Mr Fuad Abid
