25 years: looking back to going forward

Abstract

2017 is a momentous year for the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) as we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of receiving our Royal Charter. The past quarter of a century has seen anaesthesia make tremendous advances, many of which were first documented in the pages of the British Journal of Anaesthesia (BJA). Interacting with more than two-thirds of hospital in-patients,1Anaesthesia Under Examination Audit CommissionThe Efficiency and Effectiveness of Anaesthesia and Pain Relief Services in England and Wales. Audit Commission report, London1997Google Scholar anaesthesia is now the UK's largest single secondary care speciality supported by a College, that has quadrupled in size with growing political influence to match. Anaesthetists are vital to the delivery of safe, high quality patient care and we know from a recent survey that our efforts are highly valued by patients.2The Royal College of AnaesthetistsMembership survey results October 2016. 2016https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/sites/default/files/MemberSurveyResults2016.pdfGoogle Scholar With this clinical focus in mind we have adopted two key themes that we are promoting throughout the 25th Anniversary year: reducing pain and improving outcomes for patients. As part of the 25th anniversary celebrations we are producing with the BJA an on-line only special issue, highlighting key papers published in the last five year which align with these 25th anniversary patient - focussed themes. Whilst we should of course reflect on our history, we should also look forward to the next 25 year. A key event being held in March 2017 is the “Landmarks in Anaesthesia” meeting, and in association with the BJA we will be producing another special issue containing review articles written by contributors to the meeting. This will provide a forward-looking perspective on important developing areas for our speciality. For example lectures focused on safety and outcomes for anaesthesia, quality Improvement & the management of acute pain. The RCoA has recently published its first ever five-year strategic plan.3The Royal College of Anaesthetists. The RCoA Strategic Plan 2016-2021. Available from http://www.rcoa.ac.uk/strategic-plan-2016-2021 (accessed 09 January 2017).Google Scholar The strategy defines the values and purpose of the College providing a solid, coherent foundation upon which to build our shared future. The strategy has not been developed in isolation by College Council but has taken account of views gathered from our membership survey conducted in 2016. In addition we are holding ‘listening events’ throughout 2017, to gather thoughts and feedback from anaesthetists in training and conducting a morale and welfare survey in the wake of the deep unhappiness expressed during the recent junior doctors’ dispute. The College we see today is virtually unrecognisable from the organisation that existed in 1992. Alongside the expansion in membership and staffing, the College has developed a number of new work streams. These include the Anaesthesia Clinical Services Accreditation (ACSA) scheme and the Perioperative Medicine program. We are also proud to incorporate the Faculty of Pain Medicine and to host the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine within the College. To support the external facing aspects of the College we recently established a Communications & External Affairs directorate and after the publication of the Lancet Commission report4Lancet Commission Report. Global surgery 2030. Available from http://media.wix.com/ugd/346076_713dd3f8bb5947 398 1 0 d84c1928ef61a.pdf (accessed 09 January 2017).Google Scholar produced our international strategy aimed at promoting safer anaesthesia in resource poor countries. Throughout 2017 we have a year-long program of events planned, which celebrate the achievements of the College, its history and its role in the development of the speciality. We will also use these events to promote and showcase our vision for the next 25 year. Our program officially started in London in January 2017 at the AAGBI Winter Scientific meeting with a joint session entitled “Looking back to going forward: The history and future of our speciality”. As an organisation with a UK-wide remit, we have selected, after a competitive process, ten 25th Anniversary educational events around the English regions and devolved nations that we are promoting, to engage as many of our fellows and members as possible. The events were selected on the basis of diversity of topics, audience and provision of wide regional coverage across the UK. Nurturing the next generation of anaesthetists is vital to our future and so during the anniversary year we wish to recognise the enormous contribution that local trainers provide, as the unsung heroes of our specialty, around the whole of the UK. Anaesthesia Trainee Representative Group (ATRG) members, in conjunction with their local colleagues, have nominated up to three trainers in their School of Anaesthesia who, in the trainee's opinion demonstrate excellence in training. The College's 25th Anniversary Committee has considered these, and the award recipients were announced earlier in the year. An important aspect of our 25th Anniversary celebrations is aimed at creating a tangible legacy for the future. We have established a series of Anaesthesia, Research, Innovation, Education, Scientific (ARIES) talks. These feature a wide range of high-profile speakers delivering short, informative and entertaining talks that are released online every month during 2017. Our ARIES speakers have been selected as they are acknowledged experts in their field and are passionate about their work with new concepts that they wish to share with a wider audience. The talks are available on the RCoA website (http://www.rcoa.ac.uk/rcoa25/ariestalks) & YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/rcoaYouTube) and will also be accessible to the public. Throughout the year, we are planning events to showcase some of the wider work of those working in the specialty. For example in February Dr William Harrop-Griffiths, delivered a lecture on the history of Local anaesthesia, and in March Professor Mike Grocott is presenting his work on taking medicine “From mountainside to bedside” at a public science event being held at the Museum of London. “Inspiring the Future” (http://www.rcoa.ac.uk/rcoa25/getinvolved) is a free, charitable service that connects teachers with volunteers to inform students about the world of work and their career options. It uses a secure online platform to link volunteer doctors with schools and colleges across the UK. Volunteers pledge one hour once a year in a school or college near their home or place of work. By linking up with “Inspiring the Future”, we hope to maximise the opportunities for anaesthetists to go into schools to talk about medicine, and specifically anaesthesia, as a career choice. It is gratifying to note that the word is already out that anaesthesia is a great career choice. A recent survey for 13-19 year olds, conducted by Success at School, a national careers advice website, rated being an anaesthetist as the ‘best job’ for young people in that age group ahead of being a airline pilot and surgeon!5Success at School. The ten best jobs in the world. Available from https://successatschool.org/advicedetails/570/The-10-Best-Jobs-in-the-World (accessed 09 January 2017).Google Scholar To assist our members and fellows, we have also developed supporting information that will include a ready-made “horrible history” lecture for the younger audience that describes how anaesthesia has advanced through the years, and a portable box of equipment to enable more interactive sessions. In collaboration with the Royal Photographic Society, we are running a photographic competition with the theme “In safe hands”, being launched in June 2017 as part of our celebrations. The competition will be open to all RCoA Fellows and Members, and aims to capture a photographic record of anaesthesia, pain medicine and critical care in 2017. There will also be an opportunity for the public to vote for their preferred image from the shortlisted entries. By capturing our specialty in pictures, we hope to raise awareness of the work of anaesthetists, and will display the winning images at the College, on our website and at future regional events. We are also running a series of essay competitions in 2017 for medical students, foundation doctors and anaesthetists in training with the aim of inspiring the next generation of our specialty to tell us what anaesthesia may look like in 25 year time. So with such a diverse range of 25th Anniversary events and competitions there is something for everyone to get involved with and we look forward to meeting as many of you as possible during 2017. None declared. J.A.L. and L.B. are members of the Editorial Board of BJA.