From the President’s Desk
14 July 2025
Busy times continue. We are spending a lot of time listening to different stakeholder views on cardiothoracic surgery transformation.
Cardiac CRG – Opening New Doors
I attended my first meeting of the NHS Cardiac Clinical Reference Group (CRG). It was a welcoming, open and collegial! Most of the attendees are cardiologists and commissioners, and there are already 2 cardiac surgeons Andy Chukwuemeka and Peter Braidley who participate. It was good to see and hear them. It’s important for SCTS to be in the room as well. I outlined our SCTS vision for advancing minimally invasive cardiac surgery and cardiac surgery/anaesthesia enhanced recovery pathways. These approaches are already embedded in many centres abroad. There is some adoption in our countries, but we need to make this more widely available.
During our recent visit with BISMICS to the Edwards Lifesciences Centre of Excellence in Ancona, we saw how transformative change is possible at relatively low cost. This is more about culture and teamship with the whole multidisciplinary service aligned. The enthusiasm from CRG members was very encouraging. This is the kind of national collaboration that can accelerate innovation and inclusive change.
Thoracic Database Funding Secured
We’ve also achieved a major milestone in thoracic surgery. The contract with Johnson & Johnson to fund the build and first year of the SCTS thoracic surgery database has now been signed!
This has the potential to be a key enabler of quality assurance, audit, research, and service development. It will ensure thoracic surgery keeps pace in data-driven quality improvement.
This success is a direct result of the groundwork laid by Narain Moorjani and others whose careful and persistent work gave us the platform to secure this partnership. As the database moves forward, we urge all units to prepare for participation.
The database was called for by our members. It will be your success and benefits to your patients and credit to your teams.
Culture, Inclusion, and the Future of Work
This week I spoke with Ralitsa Baranowski, Chair of our Women in Cardiothoracic Surgery committee. Her efforts to connect with ACTACC and other societies reflect a broader movement in our profession: toward collaboration, inclusion, sustainability, and equity. Don’t dismiss them as niche topics. They are structural priorities that affect all of us. We have to level the playing field so that everyone can participate. Dual careers, flexible working, life-long learning, career progression and supportive environments are essential if we want to retain and nurture the best talent in the long term.
The time of male-only meetings and glass ceilings are over. Transformation must be cultural as well as clinical.
Society Activity and New Energy
Our senior leadership team remains active across all fronts. Mark Jones continues to improve our financial position and is preparing to chair the Specialist Advisory Committee. Doug West is completing his handover from Rana Sayeed and is already pitching in on making SCTS more internally robust and Sri Rathinam has been developing our website and digital platforms. Meanwhile, plans for the 2026 Annual Meeting are advancing, led by Sunil Bhudia.
In my unit we welcomed a new locum thoracic consultant surgeon to our team. One of former senior trainees he brings fresh energy and allows me to adjust my clinical job plan to focus more fully on my national responsibilities. For some time it’s been challenging to be on a 1 in 3 on call trying to maintain full clinical duties! In this period I’m grateful for the support of my colleagues and department. This is a reminder that transformation also requires investment in workforce as well as culture.
A Personal Note on loss and Trust
Amid these professional steps, it’s also been a time of loss. I’m at a certain age, and with big family, this happens now quite often. This week I lost two people who played important roles in my early life, one a trailblazing relative from pre-independence India. The other, a then teenager, who helped raise me when we first came to the UK. She became an older sister. While my parents may have been world travellers, with her roots in East Anglia and Norfolk it’s no accident that I’ve settled in that soil.
This week I also had a thoughtful conversation with a trainee following a complaint. Perhaps it is a relatively small issue and not about patient care, but still it was a moment to reflect. As doctors, we are held to a higher standard, because we are trusted and entrusted. Like dry plants in a hot summer, the right care and attention can lead to growth. With time, I hope they will understand, and take forward the lessons with them.
Supporting SCTS
Don’t forget the London to Brighton Cycle Ride on 14 September! A buzz is growing, and so is traffic to our SCTS website. Whether you’re an experienced cyclist or considering your first ride, I encourage you to sign up here and request a 10am start. Let’s ride together, raise our profile, and spread our message.
Thank you for all your efforts.
Aman S Coonar
President, Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in GB & Ireland
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