UK
Government’s Curriculum Framework for the Surgical Care Practitioners welcomed by RCS
By RCS, UK
Mar 28, 2005, 21:16

The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS) welcomes the publication for consultation of the Government’s Curriculum Framework for the Surgical Care Practitioner and the opportunity to make the College’s position clear regarding surgical care practitioners and their role in the surgical team. There are many new roles emerging within the NHS and there is potential for confusion not only for those who work with patients but for patients themselves.

The College strongly supports a team-based approach to patient care with the full involvement of doctors, nurses and other practitioners.

Mr Hugh Phillips, President of the RCS, said, ‘We welcome the full integration of surgical care practitioners into the team and support their important role – provided they are working under supervision – in carrying out components of peri-operative and operative care and playing a part in diagnostic procedures. Each patient admitted to hospital or referred for surgical care is the responsibility of a named consultant and remains so until formally transferred to another consultant or discharged to the care of their general practitioner.

‘We do not support the direct referral or transfer of patients for surgical therapeutic procedures to non-medially qualified practitioners working on their own. Surgical care practitioners cannot work independently, and will not manage the whole episode of surgical care. Their role in the operating theatre is one of assistant under direct supervision.’

Trusts must make the identity of their staff clear to patients, i.e. whether they are doctors, consultants, trainees or other practitioners, and whether they are medically qualified. The College recommends that there is uniformity in providing this information.

The College is working with the Department of Health and other stakeholders to ensure appropriate arrangements for regulation of surgical care practitioners. The College would wish to approve those institutions that would offer programmes of education and training.

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