Last week, a letter was shared with NHS organisations asking them to show support for the release of doctors for work undertaken on behalf of regulators, colleges and other professional bodies, and national NHS functions. This work often includes improvements to patient safety, medical education and training and the delivery of services across the UK. While there continue to be significant pressures on staffing and resource, the time spent supporting this wider work is an investment in developments to patient care and clinical standards.
This letter and its support for the significant work so many doctors do outside their clinical practice is great news for our many member volunteers, who make such an essential contribution to the work of the RCR. There are clear benefits to both patients and the NHS by allowing doctors to take on these roles, as they develop skills, increase leadership and improve recruitment and retention.
Read the letter to NHS England
Read the letter to NHS organisations in the devolved nations