Skip to main content
↑
About SCTS
  1. Home
  2. About SCTS
  3. News
  4. From the President's Desk

From the President's Desk

Limbering Up, the Media and Bagpipes

09 June 2025 (Last updated: 9 Jun 2025 17:49)

The Week in Theatre: Cases and Recovery

We all have busy weeks — this one was mine.
An 11-day on-call stretch ended with a flourish: a segmentectomy turned completion lobectomy, two rib fracture stabilisations, and a bloody bronchoscopy for a lung cancer work-up. While the mind stays sharp, I’m finding recovery takes just a little longer these days. Some stretching, countryside walking, and ibuprofen helped restore balance.

SCTS Leadership: Progress Through Teamwork

The SCTS Senior Leadership Team met this week, and it was encouraging to see how much more cohesive we’re becoming. I chaired the meeting, also standing in for the Secretary.  Reviewing our long list of tasks, it’s clear: we are getting things done, together.

Notably, we’ve finalised the provider contract for the new national thoracic surgery database, a project my predecessor Narain Moorjani supported and initiated. We’ve also been invited to collaborate with other specialty associations on shared initiatives. These are not symbolic gestures: they reflect a growing willingness to collaborate and lead together.

Media Spotlight: Professional Identity and Patient Safety

The media has turned attention to issues such as discord in units, outcomes, long treatment waits, and confusion over clinical roles. Though challenging, this scrutiny highlights the importance of healthy teams, timely care, and clear delineation of scope and responsibility.

With the Leng Review now addressing the role of physician associates, it’s critical to protect clarity in surgical versus non-surgical roles. This is not protectionism; it’s about ensuring safety, accountability, and preserving the integrity of the training, audit and peer-review systems we as surgeons and surgical teams uphold.

Education and Succession: Welcoming Mike Shackcloth

I’m delighted to announce that Mike Shackcloth has been appointed Thoracic Education Secretary, taking over from Elizabeth Belcher. Mike brings substantial experience, including as the national online cardiothoracic TPD.

Elizabeth and I trained together under the great SCTS president Pat Magee, who inspired our paths in cardiothoracic surgery. Her contributions including educational development, securing funding and resources, and supporting trust appointed doctors have been outstanding. We thank her deeply and wish her well in her new role as the Chair of the Intercollegiate Specialty Board exams board.

Future-Facing Surgery: Minimal Impact, Maximum Recovery

Our collaboration with ACTACC continues as we shape a new programme on minimally invasive and enhanced recovery in cardiac surgery, part of our broader theme of minimal impact surgery and anaesthesia. This work is forward-looking and multidisciplinary just as it should be.

Edinburgh Reflections: Heritage, Fellowship, and New Connections

It was a privilege to attend the Triennial Dinner of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, hosted in a setting rich with surgical heritage. The College traces its roots to the 1505 Guild of Barber Surgeons, gaining Royal Charter in 1778, and now has over 34,000 fellows, members, and affiliates worldwide.

The evening marked Professor Rowan Parks’ presidency and gathered surgical leaders from across the UK and abroad. Amongst others it was a pleasure to catch up with RCSEngland president Tim Mitchell, former SCTS president & RCSEd Vice President Tim Graham, senior thoracic surgeon & former Vice President of RCSEd Pala Rajesh, and Mike Lewis, cardiac surgeon and JCIE Chair.

A personal highlight was reconnecting with a close medical school friend now a President of another Royal College. She is unchanged from when I first met her; clever, forthright and very noble.

Seated at the Federation of Surgical Specialty Associations (FSSA) table, I spent time with Ian Sugarman, the FSSA President, and other surgical specialty association leaders. These informal exchanges continue to foster the mutual understanding and its stimulating to see the potential of working together.

Innovation in Education: Listening to the Next Generation

I had an energising conversation this week with a final-year medical student passionate about improving the transition from medical school to specialty training. This reignited ideas around the Cambridge Cardiothoracic Surgery (CATS) Short Course, a half-day introduction for students and foundation doctors. It’s clear that we could, and should do more.

TikTok, Digital Reach, and a Lesson from Home

One of my daughters, unknown to me, recently made a TikTok for the quirky #holyairball series which celebrates achievement with modesty. To her surprise, the post was a little viral and even reached Enoch Akowuah, our President Elect. It prompted us to reflect: if we want to engage the next generation, we must show up on the platforms they use.

Thank You

As always, thank you for everything you do.

Aman S Coonar
President, SCTS

View other News