<2> Training and Support for SAS Doctors: A Step Towards Career Development
<3> The Reality Faced by Locally Employed Doctors
The BMJ investigation by Wilkinson and colleagues sheds light on the harsh reality faced by thousands of locally employed doctors in the NHS. Many of these doctors are international medical graduates borrow from ethnic minority backgrounds, who are often trapped in insecure contracts. These contracts come with limited access to training and career progression.1
The Role of the Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has issued clear educational and career support guidance for specialist, associate specialist, and specialty (SAS) doctors.2 The RCP emphasizes that once a doctor has been employed in the same specialty by the same trust for more than two years, they should be moved to a nationally negotiated SAS contract. This is not just about pay; it’s about access to training, supervision, and a clear pathway for career development for all doctors.
The Importance of Career Development
The RCP is proud to be the first medical royal college to endorse the #SASsix campaign, which calls for every early career SAS doctor to have an educational supervisor, equitable access to training and career development opportunities