RCoA Elections

I appreciate you taking the time to read my election statement. I’m a DGH anaesthetist who began my medical journey in South Africa. After relocating to the UK, I completed postgraduate training in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at Barts and the Royal London School of Anaesthesia. Since 2004, I’ve been a consultant in Essex with specialist interests in critical care, robotic colo-rectal and urology surgery, vascular procedures, regional anaesthesia, orthopaedic surgery and emergency care.

Beyond clinical practice, I’ve been dedicated to education and training throughout my career. Currently, I’m serving my second term as RAA in the East of England and I’ve been a Primary FRCA Examiner for thirteen years, including two years as Chair. I’ve held roles such as College Tutor, Deputy RAA, TPD for Core and ST trainees and now Deputy Head of School.

I’m recognized for my proven ability to deliver, my enthusiasm, collaborative approach and commitment to challenging and improving established practices. Over the past twelve years, I’ve worked to create a supportive learning environment in the East of England and uphold the School’s reputation for being inclusive, proactive and innovative, especially in rotational training delivery.

Nationally, as Chair of the Primary OSCE, I led the effort to develop a virtual OSCE during the pandemic, allowing trainees to continue progressing in their training. As Chair of the Primary FRCA, my focus has been on:  a. developing a framework for the new Primary FRCA exam to ensure relevance to anaesthetic practice and patient safety, b. writing a reasonable adjustment policy for candidates with disabilities, ensuring equal opportunity in exams, c. expanding and supporting the examiner body, whose contributions are crucial and invaluable to delivering the exams.

We all recognize that the past few years have been challenging for our specialty. Given this, it is vital that our elected College Council truly represents and supports all its members. If elected, I will:

a. work to ensure smooth transition and implementation of the new exams; fit for purpose for the next generation

b. address exam capacity issues to minimize delays and support career progression.

c. advocate for anaesthesia as a doctor - led specialty within a team based environment while upholding professional standards and safety.

d. promote open communication between the College and its members, offering a voice that challenges a generic approach and provides alternative solutions.

Thank you for considering my candidacy for Council.

Consultant Anaesthetist, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Deputy Postgraduate Dean, Foundation School Director, NHSE, Yorkshire & Humber.

Final FRCA Examiner, RCoA

I would be honoured to represent you at the Council of the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

Manifesto

Workforce:

The future anaesthetic workforce plan needs to align with the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. The draft AA Scope of Practice document which is currently out for consultation, needs be to carefully considered and scrutinised based on the benefits and risks. This has to be influenced and guided by anaesthetists across the UK. Having represented anaesthetic trainees on the Specialty Training Committee and School Board, I understand the trainee perspective. I stand for improving training opportunities and better workforce prospects.

Exams and Inclusivity:

I am a member of FRCA Exam Development Group, current FRCA Examiner and was a PLAB Examiner for the GMC. I have the experience in question writing, assessments and standard setting. I look forward to contributing actively to the ongoing Exam reforms. Cost considerations are key to the sustainability of the college. I would work towards bringing the college closer to the majority of members to make it more inclusive and cost effective.

Dear colleagues,  

It feels like a long time since you first elected me onto the RCoA council. At the time, at 46 years old I was the youngest consultant member serving and the first out gay man ever elected.  

In the seven years I’ve been there I feel the council has changed beyond recognition, in its diversity and in the way its processes work. The council is more representative of the average anaesthetic department, we make decisions in a more open way and communicate much better with our members and the public. In fact, reading a recent governance review of another royal college I was relieved to see we had already implemented the vast majority of their recommendations.  

During my time on council I have led the membership and communications directorate, been Vice-President for two years and set up the environmental advisory group in my role as sustainability lead, where we have achieved some significant progress, with more changes on the way.  

In the past the college has been guilty of taking its members for granted, but this has changed, not least because of the Extraordinary General Meeting, and I am proud of my involvement in the EGM preparation and response. The EGM demonstrates the engagement of the College members, but also why we need the Royal College, where we can make powerful interventions independent of government and NHS management for the benefit of our patients.  

Why do I want to continue and what will I bring in the future? I still have a lot of energy and love for our profession and I want to continue making a difference - my main driver for doing these roles. I want to make our processes easier, reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency. Education and training should be flexible and sensible, not rigid tick boxes. Anaesthesia is a demanding specialty and our exams should be robust and demanding, but focus on knowledge relevant to modern anaesthesia, examined in a fair way. We need to continue lobbying NHS bodies to improve recruitment and training capacity, use training slots better and reduce the unnecessary hurdles. 

We do need to change and embrace progress but we mustn’t separate doctors from the frontline and from our patients. All our patients deserve to have a doctor looking after them, while any associate professionals should be there to improve care, efficiency and education, not to provide a cheaper, less flexible service.  

Recently I saw a demonstration on how the introduction of AI into pre-assessment clinics could (and will) change the way we work. It opened my eyes to the wealth of opportunities in perioperative medicine where we anaesthetists can be at the forefront of innovation, not just in anaesthesia itself, but really as a public health intervention, using the life event of an operation to improve our patients’ quality of life long into the future. I’d love to play my part in leading that work and contributing to the profession as a council member.  

Thank you. 

In 2022, I was elected to Council as a co-opted trainee representative.  My mandate was to champion the voices of Anaesthetists in Training (AiTs) and to enhance their working lives by representing their views and concerns directly to the College. The subsequent 18 months were eye-opening: I discovered a College grappling with something of an existential crisis as it worked to reconcile the needs of the post-pandemic NHS with the demands placed on the largest hospital specialty, where demand far outstrips supply. 

Today, as a consultant, my aims are still to champion the voices of anaesthetists and our specialty. 

I have a proven record of working collaboratively and driving change while on Council.  In the face of training challenges, artificial shortages to training numbers and threats to our professional identities as anaesthetists, it was my privilege to take the views of my peers straight to Council, which, though essential, wasn’t always a comfortable experience.  I served as Co-Chair of the AiT Committee, working with individuals from across the specialty, and represented my peers not only at the Education, Training and Examinations Board, but also in the Recruitment Committee, where I challenged the past failures of national recruitment.  I sat on the EDI Committee and worked to bring the College’s membership fees policy on adoptive leave in line with that of maternal and extended paternal leave following a grievance that was directly raised by an affected member.  Following the EGM, I was tasked with initial work on Resolutions 5 and 6, pertaining to recruitment, an area that, should I be elected to Council, I am keen to return to.   

I’m now a consultant, working in tertiary paediatrics in my adopted home of Manchester.  Working in the north during the pandemic and its aftermath, I’ve seen the effects of health inequalities and know well the sacrifices my colleagues have made over the years to support recovery work.  There have been times where the College has skirted close to reneging on its strategic aims, thus triggering the EGM, but following the vote on its resolutions, I believe the agility the College has demonstrated in its relationship with its membership as it seeks to clearly define and implement the AA scope of practice and improve training is something that will develop further over time.  

I’m passionate about ensuring our specialty is the best it can be.  Patients deserve anaesthetists whose voices have been heard and acted on by their College, as these will be the anaesthetists who feel valued, who are driven to innovate and improve the specialty, and who will want to stay and pay it forward with their own ideas, expertise and passion.  Should I be elected, I will serve as a point of contact for members, whether they are consultants, trainees, or SAS, and I’m committed to maintaining the dialogue between you, the membership, and the Council that represents them. 

With my prior experience of how Council functions, I am ready to hit the ground running. Thank you for considering me.

Personal Statement 

I am honoured to submit my candidacy for the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) Council. I have a deep commitment to anaesthesia and a passion for representing my peers, and I am eager to contribute to RCoA's mission and strategic goals.  

Professional Background and Experience 

As a consultant anaesthetist and clinical academic, with a career dedicated to enhancing research, education, patient safety, and clinical care, the RCoA's vision for the future, as outlined in the Five-Year Commitment, inspired me to apply for this role. During my career, I have witnessed these initiatives' impact on patient care and safety, and I am eager to contribute to their ongoing success.  

Key Areas of Focus 

Enhancing Patient Safety and Clinical Care: I am committed to upholding and advancing the high standards of clinical care that the RCoA champions, including developing a regulatory framework for physician associates. By participating in developing and implementing policies and proposals, I aim to ensure that patient safety remains at the forefront of our efforts. 

Supporting Professional Development: As a Council member, I will advocate for robust support systems for our fellows and members. This includes promoting continuous education, mentorship programs, research and career development opportunities across all stages of professional life. 

Promoting Research and Innovation: As the National Institute of Academic Anaesthesia training lead, I will collaborate with them to advance research activities that drive innovation in our field. By Securing and promoting research within our speciality, we can continue to improve patient outcomes and advance the science of anaesthesia. 

Championing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: I am dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment within the College and the speciality. Embracing diversity in all its forms enriches our profession and enhances our quality of care. I will ensure that all members feel valued and supported regardless of their background. 

Leadership and Representation: Serving on the Council, I am committed to providing thoughtful leadership, being open and responsive to our members' needs, and representing the College with integrity. My experience serving on various internal and external boards and committees has equipped me with the skills to contribute effectively to the Council's work. In conclusion, I am excited about the opportunity to serve on the RCoA Council. My experience, dedication, and vision align with the current requirements of our speciality; together, we can continue to advance the speciality of anaesthesia, support our members, and improve patient care. I respectfully ask for your support for me in this election and look forward to the possibility of contributing to our shared future. 

What a time to decide to go for council! The world feels a muddle, and morale in the NHS is an all-time low.  I do not profess to be able to solve this, but I want to bring back enthusiasm and passion for what we do, because let's face it, being an anaesthetist is a brilliant privilege. 

How? 

 1: Bridging the paediatric and adult perioperative gap, ensuring comprehensive training and promoting health optimisation across all ages 

 The current challenges highlighted by Lord Darzi’s report, include long waiting lists and a shift towards promoting 'waiting well' for surgery, which now includes prehabilitation for both adults and children. I love my post as a consultant in Medway, a unique and busy DGH in a deprived community, where my workload includes anaesthetising infants and adults for surgery, leading paediatric preassessment and undertaking adult CPET/prehabilitation. My practice is very patient focussed, and I have looked for ways to take clinical experience into national opportunities to drive up standards of patient care, such as the CPOC public consultation. 

 2: Supporting and promoting colleagues nationwide through involvement in national projects. I have developed the first-ever Patient Information (PI) fellow role at the college and aim to enhance clinical academic roles, and increase patient involvement in all aspects of our work 

 My early career was shaped by similar opportunities, and I believe in paying it forward by fostering a culture of learning and growth. I led the script development for CPOC's shared decision-making animation, "Peter’s Journey," collaborating with a talented team of resident doctors. This experience deepened my passion for enhancing patient care through innovative approaches. Additionally, I contributed to the first national best practice guidance in paediatric pre-assessment by the APAGBI and serve on their perioperative committee. I am dedicated to modernising PI through lived experiences, developing resources for chronic fatigue and relaxation recordings for perioperative anxiety. I advocate strongly for the development of resident doctors, SAS and consultants, mentoring many through the associate principal investigator scheme and supporting their involvement in regional/national projects. 

 3: Promoting equitable health opportunities in deprived areas, and leading health promotion in the college strategy 

 In my national role as Patient Information (PI) lead and chair of the PI group at the RCoA, I ensure that patient perspectives guide our projects/policies. Inspired by my own children, I spearheaded "Dennis (the menace) has an Anaesthetic," which modernised PI by incorporating shared decision-making, perioperative anxiety management, and ‘waiting-well’ resources. This was the first paediatric PI initiative to address these areas comprehensively, highly commended by the BMA awards. My commitment to holistic patient care includes using and teaching hypnosis/relaxation techniques to all colleagues, and improving communication to reduce patient anxiety. I aim to embed these practices.  

I prioritise the training and development of anaesthetists, advocating for increased training positions and resources to maintain high standards.  I am committed to improving the working lives of our doctors.  I believe as a member of council I will bring fresh perspectives and diversity to the college council. 

I have been a consultant anaesthetist for more than 17yrs based in Glasgow. I have worked in several training and workforce capacities for both the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Faculty of Pain Medicine and would welcome your vote to so that I can use this experience to input and influence the college at a council level.

I have always been interested in training and was appointed as Regional Advisor in Pain Medicine for the West of Scotland a year after becoming a consultant. Despite being head-first into ARCPs and regional training issues, this was a rewarding experience in being part of a newly developing Faculty. I enjoyed my time on the Board, coordinated their first national pain census, chaired the training and assessment committee and helped to develop the credential in pain medicine.

Following this I chose to go back to the coal face and work as a college tutor in a busy tertiary city hospital. While hard work, I believe this has been a valuable experience to learn the training challenges at all levels and feel this has given me credibility within training circles in my current role as Training Programme Director for the West of Scotland.

I was then national workforce lead for Scotland and the representative for Scotland on the RCOA recruitment committee. This was a rewarding group to be part of but there were challenging times and tight deadlines as we navigated recruitment through the disruption of covid with the need to develop online interviews and expand old question banks in short timescales. These work streams opened my eyes to the conflicting pressures behind the scenes and how political and quango organisations can overly influence and complicate NHS processes, but also reassured me that there were positive individuals and role models on the RCOA side who were prepared to push back against these.

I continue to be involved in workforce planning, as a member of the workforce committee and as Vice Chair of the Scottish Board of the RCOA. My experience in analysing the Scottish workforce needs dovetails with the pressures and issues experienced UK wide. Through the Board I have met with the Cabinet Secretary for Health, participated in Academy meetings challenging anaesthesia associate developments and have analysed publications from the government workforce transition team. My work is motivated on supporting continued high-quality training for AiT, advocating for the continued expansion of training posts to meet future workforce demands, and supporting trainers.

Despite these roles I remain an active and enthusiastic day to day anaesthetist covering general, emergency and trauma theatres including oncall, as well as being part of the regional interventional cancer pain team roster.

I work hard, I get things done, but I am not a ‘yes’ man. I feel I have the necessary experience across training, workforce and clinical domains to represent a large part of the college at council level. If elected I will positively influence the future direction of the RCOA and promote these areas.

I have been working as a Consultant Anaesthetist, specialising in obstetric anaesthesia, in Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust since 2010. Having worked in a number of roles in areas including education, leadership and patient safety, I now feel to have the breadth of understanding required to effectively contributor to College work.   

I am committed to improving patient safety, equity of care for all and creating a learning environment that allows all to flourish. 

The Royal College of Anaesthetists’ values are already integral to much of my work. 

• Caring and Supportive 

In my previous roles as College Tutor, Training Programme Director and Associate Director of Medical Education, I have supported and mentored doctors in training as they navigate the anaesthesia training programme. I recently supported RCOA trainees in the production of NovPod Season 2, obstetric anaesthesia for the novice anaesthetist. I recognise the importance of establishing a culture in which members of the team feel safe to learn and in which their strengths and successes are celebrated. I would continue to bring this ethos to all areas of College work.   

• Just and Fair 

Embracing diversity within our teams is vital to enable us to deliver excellent care for our patients. I work within a team supporting recruitment and mentoring for a Portfolio Pathway (CESR) programme in the Northwest. I strive to improve the learning environment for the multidisciplinary team both locally and globally. Creating a good learning environment is essential for our teams' development; to this end, I have widely shared the concept of The Educational Checklist (LOAF and BREAD).  

• Innovative and Progressive 

Having had the opportunity to work as a council member for the Obstetric Anaesthetists’ Association since 2019, I continue to champion collaborative working with national organisations and specialities to deliver multidisciplinary training days, lectures and workshops. I led a large collaborative working group (with organisations including RCoA, AoA, RCUK, COPD, BICS, BMFMS, BAPM, MOMS) to produce the Quick Reference Handbook for Obstetric Emergencies. This handbook was highly commended in the HSJ Patient Safety Awards 2024.   

I am motivated to improve patient safety and thereby our patients’ outcomes. I recognise the benefit of interprofessional collaboration to effect positive change and if elected, would continue to champion this cause.  

• Open and Responsive 

Recognising the impact of health inequalities is fundamental for us to realise how to deliver a safe standard of care for all. Allowing appropriate time and resources, during all aspects of our perioperative care, is imperative to enable us to deliver excellent care.  Working with safety investigation organisations has honed my knowledge of safety science in healthcare. To make a discernible impact on patient safety we must identify and refine the underpinning systems and processes that support our healthcare teams to care for their patients safely. It is essential for us to listen to concerns raised and be proactive in seeking effective, sustainable solutions. 

I have been a Consultant Anaesthetist in Oxford since 2001. I am very keen to become a member of College Council and give back to a profession that has provided me such a positive, varied and interesting career. My experience equips me to add value across many areas of College Council activity, but I’d like to focus on three:  

Innovative Education  

 My career has benefited from training in three deaneries: the North West, South West Thames, and Thames Valley. These positive influences led to a strong, enduring interest in education. I founded and directed the simulation centre in Oxford and am the Associate Dean for Simulation and Patient Safety in Thames Valley. My roles at the RCoA include representing our specialty on the Foundation Programme Committee of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, and regularly teaching on courses for the RCoA, including co-chairing the annual cardiac risk symposium for the past 15 years. These roles have provided me extensive insights into the design and delivery of high-quality education. We must ensure our curriculum continues to reflect the evolving needs of the specialty, and that we remain at the forefront of delivering innovative, evidence-based and cost-effective education for our trainees.  

Human Factors and Patient Safety  

Over my career I have developed a deep interest in human factors and patient safety, and have actively promoted a culture of learning from safety incidents. I am the first female anaesthetist to be an Associate Professor in Oxford, and my research group focuses on healthcare systems safety. This includes leading and supporting numerous system-based safety incident investigations in the NHS over the past decade, and designing an internationally adopted framework for incident analysis in healthcare. Additionally, I have designed and delivered national training programs in systems-based incident investigations. Anaesthetics has always led the way in patient safety, whether through education, policy or research and I am determined we should remain at the forefront of this evolving field.  

The Future of Anaesthesia  

The Royal College of Anaesthetists plays a critical role in shaping the future of our specialty (and UK medicine in general), and the workforce challenges in anaesthetics have never been more obvious. We have important decisions to make about how clinical anaesthesia evolves in the NHS, including how we 

• improve equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across the profession,  

• better support our SAS doctors,  

•  design better career pathways so that anaesthetists are not broken at the end of their professional lives and  

•  how we integrate anaesthesia associates  

I  am experienced in strategy design and implementation regionally and nationally and am eager to contribute to these decisions at the RCoA.  Finally, whilst I am committed to advancing the field of anaesthesia I also recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance. I’m a keen baker, a runner and a diver - pursuits which support my wellbeing. The current challenging work environment highlights the importance of the RCoA continuing to advocate for future working patterns which support wellbeing for all anaesthetists and those who work with us. 

I have been a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine since August 1996. The majority of my career has been as a District General Hospital Anaesthetist/Intensivist in Lancaster, but I have had substantive roles on the Isle of Man and at present in Blackpool. I have also done a number of locum roles throughout the North West region. 

My career has been mainly based in Intensive Care Medicine, but I have a specialist interest in Paediatric and Regional Anaesthesia, patient safety, mortality reviews and education. 

I have held a number of undergraduate educational leadership roles at Lancaster University and DME at Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust. Regionally I have acted as college tutor, SHO TPD, Deputy RA and Head of School in the North West Region. 

I have been a Royal College examiner since 2006. 

At present, I am the Chair of the Examinations Development and and Advisory Group (EDAG) at the college. This group has senior representation from the Primary, Final, Pain and ICM examinations and its role is to help implement the GMC and educational changes in all four examinations by 2027. 

I have decided to apply to the college council for a number of reasons.  

'Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.' (T.R. Jr) 

Although I am at the latter end of my career, I am still working full time including out of hours work and feel I have plenty of experience and wisdom to give to the college whilst still working at the coal face in a DGH. 

My role chairing EDAG had kept me abreast of topical college issues and the financial, logistical and educational pressures that it is under. 

I have worked in training, consultant only and SAS doctor reliant departments. I am aware of the need to nurture and develop trainees as well as SAS doctors in their careers or CESR applications.  

Working as a locum has also given me insight as to the vast amount of work these doctors bring to departments, especially in these days of difficult recruitment in certain areas of the country. It is crucial that they receive the support, help and appropriate governance from the college. 

I have an interest in the wellbeing of the doctor and health staff as a whole. Having personally had periods of burnout and mental health related illness, I have acted as a mentor to health staff and been able to provide pastoral care to guide them through bad times, that affect the majority of us in at some point in our career. This has also increased my resilience to pressures that we all experience on a daily basis. 

If elected, I will be able to use my insight, work ethic, personal experience and motivation to help take the college though these changing times on your behalf. 

"Better to be the man in the arena and fail, than not there at all.'  (T.R. Jr) 

My name is Soumen Sen and I am an anaesthetic consultant at the Royal Surrey Hospital and I would be grateful for your vote at the upcoming Council elections.  
More than ever, it is vital that there is strong representation on council and that the voices of all our resident doctors, SAS doctors and consultants are heard. The continued advocacy for equality and diversity is critical at all levels and I intend to work hard both in researching any discrepancies and ensuring a fair and equal system. It is vital that our College celebrates and is representative of the diverse nature of our community. It has been a turbulent few years for all and there are many topical issues for all anaesthetists. The turn out, resolutions and intended directions of the RCoA following the EGM have shown the importance of a unified anaesthetic voice and the power which it holds.  
I have previously held trainee representative posts at all training levels including being an elected trainee representative on the RCoA Anaesthetists-In-Training Committee. In my time performing these roles, I have tried to be easily approachable, supportive and hard working. 
I have a keen interest in medical education and wish to use these skills to advocate for all anaesthetists and minimise disruptions to training programmes and continued education. I hope to use this knowledge to help find solutions to attenuate both the educational and wellbeing burden. 
I have experience working at the Royal College of Anaesthetists, having completed an education fellowship, where I worked in the Training Department and was part of the curriculum development team, I have had a close insight into the ongoing changes. I hope to use this knowledge to alleviate concerns and facilitate ongoing work with these changes.  
I hope to bring the skills and expertise I have acquired to help represent my fellow anaesthetists to the best of my level with these issues at the forefront and would relish the opportunity to contribute to Council. 

As a SAS anaesthetist through a combination of choice and personal circumstance since 2003, I have practised in a small district general hospital setting in Banbury and in a tertiary centre in Oxford. I have represented and supported other SAS doctors locally and nationally for many years. Previous experience as a trade union representative for the BMA on my local LNC, on the Council of the RCoA (2015-2021) and as SAS Chair at the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (2016-2019) have complemented my clinical experience. My particular non-clinical interest lies in supporting international graduates into life in the UK and work in the NHS. I have been a medical appraiser for many years and provide pro-bono coaching and mentoring in my free time.

SAS and locally employed anaesthetists need to play their part in shaping College strategy and policy.

 I strongly believe in service to the profession and to my fellow professionals, regardless of grade, and seek to weave SAS perspectives and leadership into the fabric of the specialty.

I offer experience, commitment, diligence, integrity, impartiality and an overall strong SAS voice to the specialty.