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From The President's Desk

1st March – The First Day of Spring

02 March 2026 (Last updated: 2 Mar 2026 16:54)

It is the first day of spring and, thankfully, the weather (in Cambridge) has transformed.

Last week I had a brief trip to North America and managed to be snowed in by the variously known as Bomb Cyclone Winter Storm Hernando also called ‘Storm of the Generation.’ Flights were cancelled across the region, and, for a while, everything simply stopped. When the snow cleared, the air was sharp and bright and the landscape fantastic. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed the landscapes of (when well dressed), alongside the clinical experience, during my fellowships in Toronto and my medical student elective in Boston. Time flies!

Arriving back in the UK, the contrast was great. Warmer days, blue skies, buds emerging and daffodils.

As I approach a year in post as SCTS president. Time flies! I find myself reflecting on the commitments set out in my election manifesto and the extent to which we have delivered on them. That reflection will form part of what I speak about at the Annual Meeting. I believe we are moving in the right direction, with   priority on clinical transformation and on strengthening the effectiveness of both our committees and the charity.

Clinical Committees – Structure and Direction

All four clinical committees are active, each progressing in ways that reflect something about their stage of development and the level of engagement from the wider membership.

Thoracic Surgery continues its strong trajectory of service transformation and coordinated workstreams. I would like to thank Karen Redmond for her leadership and welcome Rory Beattie as he takes over the role. The tone remains one of momentum and is very constructive. We look forward to further progress in the thoracic database, the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership, and the increasing implementation of technology to improve patient outcomes.

In Cardiac Surgery, we are refreshing leadership, with interviews imminent. The Cardiac Surgery Transformation Programme is taking clearer shape. Five units have been selected as the first wave to be supported in implementing minimally invasive cardiac surgery and enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery programmes. Teamwork and increasing uptake and embedding recovery pathways are central aims. This is about measurable change in practice.

The Transplant Surgery Committee, under the new leadership of Stephan Schueler, has begun a Delphi process to define what consultants believe an ideal transplant unit should look like. This exercise will provide clarity and help articulate to the NHS the considered views of consultant surgeons across the country.

In Congenital Surgery, I would like to thank Andrew Parry for his service. Professor Attilio Lotto will now assume the role of co-Chair. Andrew and colleagues will continue their work on defining criteria for the ideal congenital unit. Attilio brings both trustee experience and international leadership as President of the European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association (ECHSA) (www.echsa.org). That combination strengthens the Society’s perspective and international engagement.

Across committees, the themes are consistent: maintain momentum, define clear clinical priorities, and influence their implementation.

Lung Volume Reduction – the development of practice across SCTS

This week I attended the lung volume reduction surgery summit hosted by the University of Leicester team.

It was a reminder of what sustained professional effort can achieve. A service effectively decommissioned by NHS England in 2019 is now widely available nationally. Outcomes are considerably better than those reported in the 2003 NETT trial, with low perioperative mortality and a one-year mortality better than that predicted in NETT (National Emphysema Treatment Trial).

This national scale transformation did not happen by chance! It required data, persistence, and collaboration across disciplines. It required sustained effort to achieve recommissioning. It shows that, with evidence and unity of purpose, it is possible to influence administrative decisions and redirect resources appropriately.

15-17the March 2026, the Annual Meeting in Belfast

I look forward to seeing many of you in Belfast.

The scientific and educational programme is strong. The opportunity for direct conversation is also important. Face-to-face discussion remains one of the best ways to build consensus, accelerate progress and make friends.

The Society is busy. It is evolving. It depends on your inputs.

Progress is often incremental before it becomes visible. I look forward to continuing that work with you.

Aman S Coonar

SCTS President

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