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Who We Are

           

                             Mr Aman Coonar
                     SCTS President 2025-2027
                                

Presidential Welcome

Message from the President 

 

Dear Colleagues, 

As the new President of the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery of Great Britain & Ireland (SCTS), I am honoured to serve our community and lead an organisation committed to advancing patient care, education, and the well-being of our members. 

We extend our thanks to Narain Moorjani, Simon Kendall, and all our past Presidents for their dedication and contributions to shaping our specialty and strengthening the Society. We will draw on their experience as we move forward. 

We are delighted to welcome Enoch Akowuah as our President-Elect. We will work together to advance our profession and support our members. 

Congratulations to Sunil Bhudia and the Meetings Team for organising an outstanding Annual Meeting in Edinburgh. With 1514 registrations this is the largest so far.

Among the many highlights, we would like to extend our thanks to Sir Clive Woodward for his insights on “Teamship”: an attitude and culture that led to his team’s Rugby World Cup victory. That message resonated strongly with our mission—pursuing excellence through collaboration, preparation, and leadership.  I see this as, “How to be the best when all are excellent”?

We also want to express our appreciation to our administrative team, led by Emma Piotrowski, whose dedication ensures the smooth running of our Annual Meeting, and other Society activities, grants and courses.

As we embark on this next phase, the SCTS Senior Management team will be:

Enoch Akowuah – President-Elect 
Sunil Bhudia – Meeting Secretary
Mark Jones – Honorary Treasurer
Sri Rathinam – Communication Secretary 
Rana Sayeed – Honorary Secretary 

Working with our Trustees and subcommittee co-chairs, we rely on the passion, energy, and contributions of our members and patients to drive progress and shape the future of cardiothoracic surgery. 

We face challenges ahead. We will not simply respond to change; we aim to lead it. Our strength lies in preparation, innovation, and a forward-thinking approach. 

In future communications, we will outline our vision for modernising the SCTS, ensuring we shape our own future and continue to thrive in an evolving healthcare landscape. 

Looking forward to working with you all. 

Aman S Coonar 

President, SCTS 

 

The SCTS offices are based at the Royal College of Surgeons of England at Lincoln's Inn Fields - London

We are:

An inclusive professional society for all healthcare professionals involved and interested in cardiothoracic surgery.

Our main purpose, as described in our constitution, is:

  • To advance science in the field of cardiothoracic surgery for the benefit of the public by encouraging and promoting excellence in the practice of cardiothoracic surgery
  • Encouraging innovation in and scientific understanding of cardiothoracic surgery
  • Promoting, undertaking, encouraging and assisting in research in cardiothoracic surgery
  • Advancing the education of the public in cardiothoracic surgery.

With this unified purpose we endeavour to support all members in their professional lives and reach their potential.

The modern SCTS is:

  • The representative body for cardiothoracic surgery in Great Britain & Ireland
  • An independent self-funded organisation
  • A membership organisation whose trustees and senior officers are accountable to the membership
  • An inclusive membership of all healthcare professionals involved in and interested in cardiothoracic surgery
  • Patient focussed with lay / patient representation on the executive committe

The aims of the SCTS are:

  1. To continuously improve the quality of healthcare that our specialty delivers to patients in an open and accountable manner

  2. To ensure that we influence the direction of education and development of surgeons-in-training and related health care professionals

  3. Ensure that regulation when required is fit for purpose

  4. To meet the professional demands of our members as regards information and guidance surrounding the practice of cardiothoracic surgery

  5. Support education and professional development through Society scholarships and bursaries.

  6. Represent Great Britain & Ireland in cardiothoracic surgery at a national and  international level to foster exchange of concepts and ideas which may enhance practice.

Notable SCTS achievements over recent years are:

  1. Transparency and publication of patient outcomes since 2005 for adult cardiac surgery, congenital cardiac surgery and thoracic surgery. This is world leading, improving outcomes and assuring patients more than ever of consistent high standards throughout our specialty.

  2. Providing clinical and professional education to all members

  3. The launch of the SCTS University in 2010 to promote postgraduate education.

  4. Award of the BMJ Group Award for Best Quality Improvement, 2010

  5. Development, in conjunction with the Specialty Advisory Committee in Cardiothoracic Surgeons in training, of an innovative National Selection Programme for Cardiothoracic Surgery which has been adopted by other specialties.

  6. We have led the thinking about surgical revalidation and provided evidence to the GMC and the Health Select Committee on revalidation.

  7. Developed a national process for advising Trusts on the structure of consultant job plans.

  8. This work is firmly aligned with the principles outlined in ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’ and ‘High Quality Care for All’.

  9. Our members have provided substantial input to national initiatives such as:
    ‘Safe and Sustainable’ review into congenital cardiac services
    ‘Heart of the Matter’ NCEPOD report into death after coronary artery bypass.