Academy Staff and Associate Specialist Doctors Committee

Chaired by Dr Naila Kamal

The Academy Staff and Associate Specialist Doctors Committee (ASASC) provides a voice for SAS doctors within the Academy.

SAS doctors play a vital role in the NHS in service delivery but also in administrative and managerial roles.

The committee has been formed from the Joint Royal Colleges SAS committee which has met regularly since 2007.

Existing chairs of SAS college committees wanted the opportunity to share examples of best practice within their own college, disseminate information through college networks and promote educational opportunities for SAS doctors.

The first joint college conference was held in 2010 with over 200 delegates in attendance. The chair of the Joint Royal College SAS committee is an existing chair of a college SAS committee and rotates through the represented colleges.

It seemed opportune for this committee to now come under the auspices of the Academy.

The Committee's main responsibilities are to:

  • To promote education for all SAS doctors and to support the Academy in its role in postgraduate education
  • To provide a channel to raise issues relevant to SAS doctors within the Academy and outside organisations, such as, GMC, COPMED
  • To provide a coherent and informed view from SAS doctors to inform Academy discussions and support its committees
  • To promote sharing of best practice between colleges
  • To hold a joint college conference for SAS doctors on alternate years.

The ASASC consists of the chairs of the following college SAS committees:

  • Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
  • Royal College of Ophthalmologists
  • Royal College of Anaesthetists
  • Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
  • Royal College of Psychiatrists
  • Royal College of Surgeons of England
  • Royal College of Physicians of London
  • College of Emergency Medicine

Areas of work:

  • Coordinating training opportunities for SAS doctors
  • Promoting membership of colleges to SAS doctors
  • Minimising inconsistencies in access to training monies across the UK.