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From the President's Desk

On the Road to Recovery and Transformation

04 August 2025 (Last updated: 4 Aug 2025 13:11)

Last week in the operating theatre, I faced a particularly complex lung cancer case following chemo-immunotherapy. The scarring and tissue changes made every step a challenge. Faced with the choice between lobectomy, sleeve lobectomy, or pneumonectomy, I chose the lobectomy. I did not think the tissue quality would allow a safe anastomosis on the pulmonary artery. Pneumonectomy has other adverse consequences. The procedure went well, and we now await the full histology results.

Operating in the setting of prior chemo-immunotherapy is still relatively new territory for us. It has expanded the range of what we can treat and offers significant prognostic improvements, a remarkable transformation in lung cancer surgery. Each case teaches us something new, and I believe the time has come to bring together the UK and Irish thoracic surgery community to examine our collective experience, outcomes, and lessons learned.

Later in the week, I tackled a stubborn nerve sheath tumour on the first and second ribs, effectively a Pancoast resection. It proved an excellent teaching opportunity for my registrar, and one of those moments that reminds us why mentorship in surgery matters as much as the surgery itself. In this case, her smaller hands were a real advantage.

While surgical work continues, our senior leadership team is shaping the future direction of SCTS. Planning is well underway for our Unit Representatives of SCTS (BORS) Meeting on 26 September 2025 in London, which will feature a keynote on the role of cardiothoracic surgeons in supporting potential military conflict in Europe. We will also discuss our cardiothoracic transformation programme, with a special focus on expanding minimally invasive cardiac surgery and embedding enhanced recovery as standard following cardiac surgery.

This transformation programme is not only about surgical innovation, it is also key to supporting elective recovery and delivering on the ambitions of the NHS Plan. By reducing post-operative stays, lowering complication rates, and optimising pathways, we can help patients return to their lives sooner, free up ITU and hospital capacity, and make better use of resources. In doing so, we also build resilience in our services and workforce for the future.

Alongside this, we are developing the SCTS response to the recently published Leng Review, ensuring the perspectives of cardiothoracic surgery are clearly represented in the national conversation on service delivery, and the team.

We are delighted to confirm that our joint meeting with the Royal Society of Medicine will take place on 3 November 2025. The RSM cardiothoracic section has been a valued partner for many years, and after the success of our last collaborative meeting with ACTACC, we can look forward to another forward-focused, high-quality event.

On the fundraising and public engagement front, we have committed to the London to Brighton Cycle Ride on 14 September 2025. The first wave of places was taken up almost immediately, so we have upgraded our entry, and as I write this very few spaces remain. The enthusiasm from patients, consultants, trainees, students, and supporters has been outstanding, and I am confident this will become a regular fixture in our fundraising calendar. My thanks go to consultant surgeon Ishtiaq Ahmed and the Brighton team for their generous local support.


You can secure your place via the SCTS London to Brighton booking link at www.scts.org.

We also welcome back Tilly Mitchell from maternity leave as our most senior full-time team member. Our admin team also includes Emma Piotrowski, Mara Banuta, and Paulina Sapinska, with ongoing part-time support from Isabelle Ferner. Recruitment is underway for an additional colleague to join the team.

On a personal note, I will be riding in the London to Brighton event myself. After recent health setbacks, it has become an important focus for my recovery. My wife and I recently cycled 25 km from Cambridge to near St Ives, a route I had never tried before. It wound past lakes, water meadows, and fields dotted with cows, and we even found a handful of early blackberries along the way. New ways to enjoy downtime.

Dates to Remember:

  • London to Brighton Cycle Ride – 14 September 2025 (Registration: £55 full | £25 AHPs and trainees | £10 students/unwaged) www.scts.org
  • Unit Representatives of SCTS (BORS) Meeting – 26 September 2025, London
  • RSM Meeting – 3 November 2025

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