From the President's Desk
Strengthening Foundations for the Future
24 April 2025
(Last updated: 25 Apr 2025 13:25)
From the President’s Desk – 24 April 2025
Strengthening Foundations for the Future
Back from leave and straight into it!
This week, one theme stands out: resilience in the face of change; not only of our clinical services, but also of the structures that support and sustain them.
At SCTS, we are fortunate to be in a virtuous cycle. Our continued success in events such as the SCTS Annual Meeting, led by Sunil Bhudia, has brought growing recognition, professional engagement and a strong sense of community. Please save the date NOW for our next gathering, the SCTS Annual Meeting 2026, which will take place in Belfast from 15 to 17 March 2026 at the ICC Belfast. We look forward to seeing you there.
However, with success comes growing demands and responsibility. As a small, committed team, we are vulnerable to disruption if a key member is absent or moves on. Our increasing workload now requires greater specialisation and shared resilience. Although we already outsource some accountancy, HR and legal services, we are actively exploring how best to expand this support.
We are also considering the appointment of a part-time Chief Operating Officer, who would also act as Charity Secretary. This role would support operational delivery and ensure strong governance under the direction of our senior clinical leadership, who are accountable to the Trustees. Many of our peer organisations have made similar appointments, and this marks a natural evolution in the Society’s development.
Resilience Across the Specialty
This need for resilience is not limited to SCTS. It reflects wider pressures across cardiothoracic surgery and the NHS. One area of concern is workforce stability, particularly in cardiothoracic intensive care nursing and perfusion services, where some centres are finding it difficult to maintain full cover.
We are working closely with the both the Society and College of Clinical Perfusion Scientists, the Association for Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Critical Care (ACTACC), and patient representatives to address these challenges. A sustainable, skilled workforce is essential for delivering safe and effective care.
The Patient Voice
At SCTS, excellent patient experience and outcomes remain central to our purpose. That is why we continue to embed the patient voice in all areas of our work, through lay representation, priority setting partnerships, and collaborations with organisations such as Heart Valve Voice and Pectus Matters.
Listening to patients reinforces our mission, informs our priorities and strengthens our advocacy. In today’s complex and noisy healthcare environment, this input is more important than ever.
To support this work, we are preparing to launch Friends of SCTS – a new initiative that will bring together patients and supporters, raise public awareness of our specialty, and support advocacy and fundraising efforts. We look forward to opening this later this year and welcome your ideas and involvement.
Supporting the Next Generation All the Way
Looking ahead, we must continue to support the next generation of cardiothoracic professionals at all levels.
We created SCTS Students to ensure our specialty encourages and nurtures thriving talent from the earliest stages.
Concerns have been raised about opportunities for foundation doctors to gain themed exposure to cardiothoracic surgery. Recent changes to the Foundation Programme, especially the shift away from merit-based selection, have led to uncertainty among many highly capable junior doctors.
We must remain vigilant. Our specialty must continue to attract the most talented individuals, and access must remain fair, aspirational and based on merit.
We must also support this amongst our own leadership. I am committed to ensuring a visible and genuine turnover in elected and appointed roles across SCTS and the wider specialty. This is vital for bringing in fresh perspectives and enabling the next generation of leaders to take their place at the helm.
Evidence and Independence
Real-world evidence and rigorous research continue to guide our work. When data from clinical registries differ from randomised controlled trials or meta-analyses, we must pay attention and be prepared to adapt.
This is particularly relevant given concerns about the independence of some clinical trials, especially those backed by organisations with potential conflicts of interest.
Some patient advocates, including those working with NHS Blood and Transplant, have raised important questions: are the evaluations of outcomes in certain areas as independent and rigorous as those conducted by organisations such as NICOR? If not, should they be? These are valid and timely discussions.
A Personal Note
On a lighter note, this week marked our youngest child’s 15th birthday, which happens to fall on Earth Day. With the Easter holidays still ongoing, we were lucky to have most of our children home. One daughter, currently travelling in Brazil, joined us online.
We celebrated with a lively and joyful family dinner, joined by two of the older ones' partners. For the first time, the bill was shared! Hallelujah. Thanks to the newly financially aware ‘grown-ups-in-training’. I may need to fast for three days, but it was worth every bite.
Thank you
As always, thank you for all that you do – clinically, academically and in support of the wider mission of our specialty.
Let us continue to build a future that is resilient, inclusive, and shaped by the voices of those we serve.
Special thanks to our admin team, Trustees and Executive for your continued dedication and support.
Aman
President, SCTS
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