Dr Derek Alderson appointed as the Board Chair of the Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC)

The College is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Derek Alderson as the Board Chair of the Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC).

The CPOC is a cross-specialty centre dedicated to the promotion, advancement and development of perioperative care. Perioperative care is the practice of patient-centered, multidisciplinary, and integrated medical care of patients from the moment of contemplation of surgery until optimal recovery. CPOC will facilitate cross-organisational working on perioperative care for patient benefit, in partnership with patients and the public, other professional stakeholders including Medical Royal Colleges, NHS England and the equivalent bodies responsible for healthcare in the other UK devolved nations.

Derek is an emeritus Professor of Surgery at The University of Birmingham and immediate past president of RCS England, a post he held from 2017 to 2020. He has a long-standing interest in perioperative care, being heavily involved in the development of multi-disciplinary teams and multi-professional working for patients with upper gastro-intestinal cancers more than 20 years.

As CPOC Board Chair, Derek will provide leadership and oversight of the implementation of the CPOC strategy and chair board meetings up to four times each year.

Upon his appointment, Derek said:

“I am delighted to have been appointed as Chair of the CPOC Board. Better management of the patient who needs an operation is a key component in addressing current waiting lists across the United Kingdom. We need to encourage everyone to lead healthier lives, ensure that the surgical patient is as fit as possible before operating, get rid of the unnecessary delays in hospital that frustrate patients and staff, and perhaps most importantly, develop resources that ensure recovery from surgery and promote rehabilitation.

There are many challenges, not least the need to expand our workforce and persuade those responsible for commissioning health care that perioperative care should sit high on their agenda.”