Chair's Report - May 2025
Dear Colleagues
The past few days have brought uncertainty regarding the situation with Healthscope hospitals. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) has been in active communication with both Federal and State governments and has received assurances that operations across all Healthscope hospitals remain unaffected. We acknowledge the receiver's stated intention to transition the hospitals to new ownership, with no current plans for closures or staff redundancies. RACS will continue to engage closely with key stakeholders and decision-makers to ensure the voices of our Fellows—and the needs of the patients they serve—are both represented and respected.
Our commitment to advocating for a sustainable and high-quality healthcare system remains steadfast.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all Fellows who participated in our recent survey. We achieved a 20% response rate, which was particularly encouraging given the short turnaround time over the Easter holiday period. The insights gathered from the survey have already proven valuable.
Notably, some of the data informed discussions at our recent Health Round Table, which was attended by representatives from the New South Wales Ministry of Health including Ellen Rawstron from the Agency for Clinical Innovation, the Australian Medical Association, and numerous RACS Fellows from across the state. We were pleased to welcome A/Prof Kerin Fielding, our outgoing President, as well as our current President, Prof Owen Ung. The discussions were both constructive and insightful, particularly around the challenges surrounding public hospital outpatient clinics and waiting lists for planned surgery.
I would like to acknowledge and thank those Fellows who took the time to contact me directly to share their concerns on these matters. A summary report of this Health Round Table will soon be available to any Fellows who wish to review it. Encouraged by the success of this year's event, we intend to make it an annual fixture in our calendar.
RACS Annual Scientific Congress (ASC) - Sydney
This year's RACS ASC, held in Sydney, welcomed over 1,700 attendees. My heartfelt thanks to not only my co-conveners, Prof Henry Woo and Prof Payal Mukherjee, but also to the numerous NSW Fellows who convened their individual section programs for delivering an exceptional conference experience. One of the highlights for many was meeting Dr Will Flanary - better known as Dr Glaucomflecken - whose perspective and humour resonated deeply with attendees.
Looking ahead, the 2026 ASC will be hosted in Perth, followed by the 2027 Congress in Melbourne - our centenary year. Plans are already underway for a series of special events and celebrations to mark this milestone across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Upcoming events
We have several important events planned over the coming months to support our Fellows and Trainees at every stage of their careers:
• 13 June 2025 - Private Practice Success - Designed for Fellows considering financial security and retirement planning
• 2 August 2025 - Preparation for SET - Targeted at medical students and junior doctors aspiring to surgical training
• 6-7 September 2025 - Preparation for Practice - Geared toward Younger Fellows preparing to establish their own practices
• 24 July 2025 - Preparing for Overseas Fellowship webinar - Supporting Younger Fellows and Trainees planning overseas Fellowships
NSW Papers Day - Save the Date
A reminder to all Fellows, Trainees and supervisors that New South Wales Papers Day will be held on Saturday, 1 November 2025. This important academic event will be followed by the Surgeons' Evening, where we will celebrate the winners of Papers Day alongside outstanding Fellows from across NSW. I warmly encourage you to attend and support our community's excellence in scholarship and service.
Thank you once again for your ongoing commitment to surgical excellence across New South Wales.
