From the President’s Desk
Back in the Autumn: Remembrance, Reflection, and Transformation
10 November 2025
From the President’s Desk
This weekend is Remembrance Sunday, a moment to pause and honour those who served and sacrificed so that we might live and work in peace and freedom. As a profession with an international workforce, we are deeply aware that those sacrifices were made by many from across the world. I am reminded of my own father, who wearing a poppy, would walk in London each year, remembering all who served, including the Sikh and other Indian soldiers who served bravely alongside their British and Allied forces. Their courage, and that of all who served, is remembered.
As the seasons change, this feels like a different kind of autumn. The air is warmer, there has been no frost yet, and the leaves, golden and crimson, seem to linger longer on the trees.
After a few weeks away from writing these essays, I was nudged to share again. The pause had been deliberate. I wanted to take stock, to listen, and to make space for others. My colleagues have been producing excellent work. Enoch Akowuah, our President-Elect, shared a video blog from his charitable trip to Ghana with Joel Dunning, a good reminder of how our skills can make a difference far beyond these small isles. Colleagues promoting the Annual Meeting have filled our channels with creativity and energy, and the newsletter has been full of updates, surveys and lively commentary. It felt right to let those voices speak up.
In recent weeks, we have been struck by certain media reports. The coverage often felt unbalanced, with limited opportunity for those directly affected to respond. It reinforced why SCTS must continue to stand up for professionalism, patient safety and for our members, particularly those undertaking higher risk or complex cases. We must also continue to define and uphold the standards for safety and excellence, while reminding other stakeholders of their shared responsibilities.
SCTS recently held both the Unit Representatives (BORS) and Executive meetings. We emphasised the Society’s role as an instrument of change to make heart, chest and lung surgery better. Alongside modernising and professionalising the Society, we remain committed to leading clinical transformation, ensuring that cardiothoracic surgery remains fit for the future and worthy of the nation’s trust and investment.
In parallel, we have been engaging closely with NICOR outliers, both negative and positive. Where needed, we have offered practical support and guidance, while also learning from those achieving excellent outcomes so that best practice can be shared across the specialty.
We also recently participated in the first joint 3-society meeting of SCTS, ACTACC and RSM on the Future of Cardiothoracic Surgery. In a sometimes overflowing room, it was an inspiring day that reflected the pace of change within our field. Sessions explored real world applications of AI in cardiothoracic care, advances in robotics and imaging for thoracic and congenital cardiac surgery, and how we can be part of the change that delivers the NHS 10-Year Plan in Surgery and Anaesthesia. Speakers included Mr Tim Mitchell, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England; Professor Peter Hutchinson, Vice President of the Federation of Surgical Specialty Associations; Professor Gudrun Kunst, President of ACTACC; Professor Enoch Akowuah, President-Elect of SCTS; Professor Prakash Punjabi, President of the Cardiothoracic Section of the RSM; and Professor Farah Bhatti, Council Member at RCS England, and Professor David McCormack, Dean of Waikato Medical School along with many others. We are grateful to our main sponsor Meril Life, and also Surgical Reality for their support.
Later in the week, the Adult Cardiac Surgery Committee met to advance several workstreams and to support the launch of our new Cardiac Transformation Project. Our Senior Leadership Team met to progress strategic priorities, and the newly formed Transplant Committee held its first meeting to define the characteristics of an ideal transplant unit and service. The week concluded with the National Online Research Meeting, superbly organised by Professor Mahmoud Loubani and Professor Babu Naidu, where plenary talks and presentations from around the world, including many from trainees and students, reflected the curiosity, passion and energy that continue to drive our specialty.
I want to acknowledge the continuing efforts of our Senior Leadership Team, who are leading transformation and initiatives across their portfolios. Sunil Bhudia is shaping the Annual Meeting and developing an exciting plenary programme. Mark Jones continues to strengthen our financial position and will soon transition from Treasurer to Chair of the SAC. Sri Rathinam is expanding our communications and leading the redesign of our website. Douglas West is taking on greater responsibility for the Secretariat’s operations and guiding new initiatives to professionalise and streamline our work. Our new office members are settling in well, and across most of our committees there is a spirit of co-working, open discussion and shared problem solving. We are looking to refresh or close our less active groups.
After some meetings, it has also been good to be back in the operating theatre, more often teaching than doing, but when the senior registrar is away, I can once again be fully absorbed in the operating myself. Clinical days, whether in theatre, clinics or MDTs, remain the most rewarding. Amid all the activity, we have welcomed a new consultant colleague, and we hope they will enjoy being part of our team and bring new ideas, as we continue our transformation.
Aman S Coonar
SCTS President
Save the date 15-17.3.2026 SCTS Annual Meeting, Belfast.
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