Reponse to GMC LED survey
Making the NHS a more competitive and attractive place to work is one of the Association’s key policy priorities. Statistics in the GMC survey showing that 41% of anaesthetic LEDs reported experiencing microaggressions and negative comments from colleagues and 8% had experienced unwelcome sexual comments and advances shows just how much work there is to do to achieve this.
It was also disappointing to read that 48% of LEDs had experienced difficulties in accessing CPD over the past year. With 42% of LED anaesthetists who responded to the survey saying more career development opportunities would add the most value to their career time more time needs to be made available to allow them to access training. We already know that the workforce gaps in anaesthesia are leading to over a million procedures and operations being cancelled each year – losing more clinicians because of the conditions they are working under would only make this problem worse.
The Association of Anaesthetists SAS Committee Chair, Dr Emma Wain said:
“LEDs are a vital part of the anaesthetic workforce and it is very disappointing to see in the GMC survey just how many don’t feel welcome. LEDs in England can now apply to move to a permanent SAS contract under the new SAS Eligibility and Permanency Framework (EPF) and we urge everyone who is eligible to do so”