RCS England and ASiT letter on access to operating theatres for surgical training

Together with the Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT), we have issued a stark warning to the government and NHS England’s top medics that access to operating theatres for surgical training has not recovered since the COVID-19 pandemic and planned government reforms, if not carefully implemented, risk creating further barriers. New evidence suggests resident doctors have missed out on over three million training opportunities since March 2020.
 
In a letter to Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England National Medical Director, and Professor Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer, ahead of the ASiT annual conference in Belfast this weekend, Mr Tim Mitchell, President of RCS England and Miss Roberta Garau, President of ASiT say, “If we do not act now to protect and expand surgical training, the NHS will struggle to maintain a sustainable surgical workforce for future patients”.
 
Data from RCS England’s most recent surgical workforce census revealed that 61% of resident doctors in surgery identified limited theatre access as a major challenge, while 52% reported inadequate time for training. Similar challenges are cited by SAS and locally employed doctors. In the letter, Mr Mitchell and Miss Garau urge the co-chairs of NHS England’s postgraduate medical training review to “send a clear, unequivocal message to all NHS leaders: training must be prioritised alongside service delivery.”
 
RCS England and ASiT say that to prevent government reforms from exacerbating the challenges around training resident doctors in surgery face, three urgent actions are needed:
 
• Better balancing the needs of training and the focus on service delivery 
• Requiring the private sector to support training opportunities
• Ensuring surgical hubs deliver training opportunities
 
Read the full letter:

RCS England and ASiT letter on access to operating theatres for surgical training March 2025