NSW Chair's Newsletter September 2024

Chair's Report - September 2024

Dear Colleagues

The major issue in the last few weeks has been about the intravenous fluid shortage. Currently there has been centralisation of NSW Health's supply of sodium chloride and Hartmann's solution through the OneLink warehouse.

The shortage has been put down to increased demand with production delays and logistical challenges with supply from overseas. Currently at the last meeting with NSW Health there appeared to be adequate supply of fluid to continue with all elective surgery with the mitigation strategies that have been undertaken at all hospitals.

On Tuesday, 17 September there will be a vote on the Constitution of our College. This will be run through an external provider BigPulse. I would urge all of you to vote "Yes" for the constitutional change. It is imperative that we improve the governance of the College so that we have financial security and stability for the future. A skills-based professional Board will be focused on the financial and risk management of the College leaving the Council to continue its work on education, training and the maintaining of professional standards.

On Saturday, 2 November we will be holding the NSW registrars' Papers Day followed by the NSW Surgeons' Evening. Prof Anand Deva has been awarded this year's Graham Coupland Medal and will be delivering the Lecture. There will be other surgeons who will be receiving Leadership and Community Service Awards. The winners of the registrars' Papers Day and Medical Student Essay competition will also be awarded at dinner.

I would like to invite you to attend both the Papers Day and the Surgeons' Evening to support our registrars as well as to honour our surgical award recipients.

Upcoming events

• 2 November 2024 - Papers Day & Surgeons' Evening

Dr Pecky (Upeksha) De Silva

Chair, RACS NSW State Committee

CHASM Annual Report 2021

In NSW the Collaborating Hospitals' Audit of Surgical Mortality (CHASM) reviews the deaths of patients within 30 days of surgery or when under the care of a surgeon during their hospital stay, regardless of whether an operation is performed.

CHASM operates as a peer review education program led by surgeons for surgeons, and is overseen by its Ministerial Committee. The 2021 CHASM Annual Report has been released recently and may be accessed through the Clinical Excellence Commission website.

Surgeon CPD changes

There are significant changes to the CPD requirements for surgeons in 2024, as advised by the Medical Board of Australia

All specialist surgeons must now complete 'high-level requirements' and this includes participating in RACS' Australian and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality program by completing all surgical case forms sent by CHASM.

Surgeons can self-report any deaths using the fellows interface system

Prevocational and Skills Education Committee NSW Vacancy

Expressions of interest are sought for a NSW Representative to join the Prevocational and Skills Education Committee (PSEC). The PSEC is the governing committee for JDocs with responsibility for its ongoing development and uptake by junior doctors and related stakeholders.

Further information is available here. To submit an expression of interest, please email Beverly Manuell

Professional development

Online courses

Foundation Skills for Surgical Educators:
16 September – 27 October

Induction for Surgical Supervisors and Trainers:
4 – 27 November

Keeping Trainees on Track:
1 – 30 September
1 – 30 October

Trainee Feedback:
1 – 30 September
1 – 30 October

November Annual Academic Surgery Conference (NAASC) 2024

Registrations are open for the NAASC 2024. This is a meeting of the Surgical Research Society and the Section of Academic Surgery, where emerging clinical researchers and senior academics from Australia and the USA will present their cutting-edge research. Presenters include Prof David Watson, Prof David Beard, Prof Fiona Wood, and from the US A/Prof Rebekah White and Prof Mohamed Zayed.

Date: 15-16 November 2024

Location: National Wine Centre, Adelaide.

Full/Student registration: $250/$100

Dinner: $89 (excluding drinks)

Registration: NAASC

Your support is needed

The Foundation for Surgery is striving for a world where all children, families and communities can access quality surgical care when they need it most.

While the Foundation for Surgery and RACS Global Health have made great strides in proving essential surgical care to those in need in the Indo-Pacific Region, many more surgical procedures and care are continuously needed. To enable the RACS Global Health visiting medical teams to provide these critical surgical procedures, the surgical and medical equipment used is in urgent need of upgrade and replacement.

The Foundation for Surgery has launched its 2024 Spring Campaign with an aim to raise $100,000 to upgrade the much-needed equipment.

Please make a donation today.

Application to the Court of Examiners for 2025

The application period to the Court of Examiners opens on Friday 1 November and closes on Saturday 30 November 2024. Applications during that period.

• Application Form

• Terms of Reference

Should you have any queries regarding the application, please do not hesitate to contact us via email.

2024 Council Elections: key dates

Please note the 2024 Council elections have been delayed due to the Constitutional ballot.

• 25 October - 11 November:

Council elections nominations

• 15 November - 2 December:

Voting for Council elections

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Suite 1, Level 26, 201 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000

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