SCTS Unit Representatives Meeting (BORS) 2025
26th September 2025, No.11 Cavendish Square, London
01 October 2025
(Last updated: 1 Oct 2025 13:24)
The SCTS Unit Representatives Meeting (BORS) meeting was held at the Kings fund premises in Cavendish Square London on the 26th September 2025. The venue was well presented with adequate room for networking with a good choice of food and refreshments.
Meeting Overview
The meeting brought together the SCTS Leadership, various stakeholders and representatives from various units to share SCTS activities, vision and discuss pressing issues and share innovative solutions. Colleagues as north as Aberdeen and as south as Plymouth representing the four nations and the Republic of Ireland attended. There were trainees, TADS and NAHPs making it a truly multidisciplinary team event.
Key Presentations
Several SCTS officers delivered addresses on topics central to the SCTS vision, activity and pertinent matters. These talks set the tone for the event, providing both inspiration and critical analysis of current trends and future challenges.
The meeting started with the SCTS President, Mr Aman Coonar, welcoming the gathering and highlighting SCTS vision, activities and the plans. The main themes explored were SCTS fundraising activities and opportunities to make us self-sustainable, the SCTS position on sexual misconduct in surgery, the introduction to cardiac transformation project and the exploratory discussions and restructuring the administration of the charity.
Prof Enoch Akowuah, the President-Elect outlining the importance of minimal invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) and enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery (ERACS) as part of the cardiac surgical transformation project. He also outlined the plans to identify centres of excellence in the first wave to make minimal invasive cardiac surgery as a main state of art treatment in the future.
Professor Karen Redmond the co-chair of Thoracic subcommittee highlighted the achievements of the subcommittee including multicentre working with the Thoracic database, the Pectus working group as well as the thoracic surgery Priority Setting Partnership.
Professor Stephen Schuler joined us virtually on his birthday to highlight the challenges facing cardiothoracic transplantation in the United Kingdom, including various strategy strategies to address the need. There was valuable input from Professor Karen Redmond from the lung transplant perspective as well as Mr Espeed Koshbin in terms of attracting trainees into cardiothoracic transplantation.
The keynote speaker was Colonel Nigel Tai, Honorary Professor of Trauma Surgery & Innovation, consultant trauma and vascular surgeon at Barts Health NHS Trust, and UK Defence Medical Service. He informed us on the RAMP (Reception Arrangements for Military Personnel) program on behalf of the department of defence and department of health to set awareness of receiving military personnel in case of a conflict in Europe.
Mr. Andrew Goodwin presented the cardiac outcome data and highlighted the variations across the nation in terms of cardiac surgical outcomes. He offered the best practice benchmarks which units should aspire to achieve.
Ms Ralitsa Baranowski, co-chair of the women in cardiothoracic surgery subcommittee shared the preliminary results of the sexual misconduct in surgery survey which was sent to SCTS and ACTAAC members.
Best Practice from Units
The BORS meeting always showcases and highlights areas of excellence from our units which can lead to shared learning and implementation of innovative ways of working.
Jagan Murgachandran, Consultant Respiratory Physician from Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge shared their experience of virtual wards.
Stacey Stockdale from James Cook University Hospitals, Middleborough showcased the nurse led home visit programme, which has improved patient outcomes and experience.
Discussion
The unit of representatives discussed the various presentations highlighting challenges and solutions.
Key points for discussion
- The role in importance of simulation to enable our trainees who come into the specialty with less experience to gain competencies to finish surgical training in the now reduced pathway.
- The value an importance of a progressive competency-based pathway to attract trainees into transplantation program as well as recognising of the loss of experience transplant surgeons to the United States
- The role of specialist doctors in Scotland in a consultant Rota on a SAS pay grade and its implications.
- The data capture and implementation of the Thoracic database.
- The Challenges in training cardiac trainees in wire skills and minimally invasive cardiac surgery.
Networking and Collaboration
Informal networking sessions provided opportunities for attendees to connect, exchange ideas, and establish new partnerships. These interactions were instrumental in fostering a sense of community and supporting continued collaboration beyond the conference.
The meeting would not be a big success without the SCTS admin team of Emma, Tilly, Mara and Sophie who were integral in the success of this meeting.
Left to right: Sri Rathinam, Sunil Bhudia, Aman Coonar, Tilly Mitchell, Emma Piotrowski, Mara Banuta, Douglas West
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