I hope this epistle finds you well. As I write on the Monday afternoon after the busiest weekend my\u00a0department has ever had, I confess to being a little war-torn. An almost 20% rise in attendances\u00a0with an even greater rise in the proportion conveyed by ambulance is an exhausting experience for\u00a0my ED team, and I know that these circumstances are being replicated up and down the length of
\nthe UK and Ireland. Providence would suggest that this acts as a powerful counter-argument to\u00a0those who continue to claim that ED attendances are little changed over the last few years.<\/p>\n
Fortunately my resolve, enthusiasm and even knowledge has been fortified and increased by\u00a0the recent Annual Scientific Conference, held just down the road in Exeter. This was a fantastic\u00a0event with over 550 delegates and a wonderful line up of speakers from across the UK and many\u00a0from overseas. The local organising committee led by Adam Reuben and Andy Applebaum are to\u00a0be congratulated on delivering an event that showcased such excellent work. I know Manchester
\n2015 will be keen to match this success.<\/p>\n
Last week I attended a meeting of the CEM Scotland National Board. Jason Long has stepped\u00a0down from the chairman role after 3 years in which he and the board have made great strides in\u00a0advancing the specialty in Scotland. His successor Martin McKechnie will no doubt continue to\u00a0ensure EM is powerfully engaged with civil servants, politicians and the public in Scotland.<\/p>\n
It was interesting to be in Scotland on the eve of the referendum and we have good reason to be\u00a0glad that the original charter of the College constructed National Boards to ensure proper\u00a0representation amongst the devolved nations of the UK. Over the past 12 months, as resources\u00a0have allowed, we have worked to ensure much greater support for these boards via the policy\u00a0team which has grown by 300% (from one to three people). The credibility of the College is heavily\u00a0dependent upon its ability to knowledgeably represent national EM issues and this can only be\u00a0done by national boards and chairs.<\/p>\n
Today I am travelling to Manchester to attend our ‘Fringe Event’ at the Labour Party Conference in\u00a0which we, together with the RCP and Foundation Trust Network, are promoting our report ‘Acute\u00a0and Emergency Care – prescribing the remedy’ Importantly this highlights a broad consensus\u00a0arguing for funding reforms for acute care and contract reforms for those working in high\u00a0frequency, high intensity out of hours work. We will also be attending the conferences of the
\nCoalition Government parties to make the same points.<\/p>\n
Much is also happening in relation to other policy areas especially the problems associated with\u00a0alcohol. I wrote a piece in the BMJ criticising the extended opening hours introduced during the\u00a0World Cup, we have been campaigning with many others for the introduction of a minimum unit\u00a0price and we are also actively highlighting the problems associated with people drinking large\u00a0volumes of alcohol at home before setting out for an evening in town – the so called ‘pre-loading’\u00a0phenomenon.<\/p>\n
More broadly we have established an alliance with the Royal Society for the Prevention of\u00a0Accidents. Having successfully championed safety on the roads and at work we now rather\u00a0paradoxically find that home is the most dangerous place to be! Indeed there are 4000 deaths\u00a0each year from accidents in the home. Perhaps I should remind myself of this the next time I find\u00a0myself at work or travelling and longing for home!<\/p>\n
Finally I should like to conclude by reference to the FASSGEM conference being held this month\u00a0near Hull. The specialty doctor is a a key, and all to scarce resource in the emergency departments\u00a0of the UK. I am particularly keen to ensure they are accorded due regard, fair remuneration and\u00a0sustainable rotas. We have come to appreciate this section of ‘Team EM’ rather later than we
\nshould have done and we must do more to encourage, support and develop this cadre of our\u00a0specialty. Many hospitals have set up ambitious CESR training programmes to properly progress\u00a0the careers of those specialty doctors who wish to become consultants. Equally important are\u00a0those who do not wish to do so and the College will aim to provide events and resources\u00a0specifically matched to their needs and aspirations. Caroline Shaw is stepping down from her post
\nas FASSGEM president and I would urge all specialty doctors to contact her successor or me with\u00a0their thoughts and ideas.<\/p>\n
By the time you read this we will be marking the third anniversary of the M5 motorway disaster in\u00a0Somerset<\/a>. One of the speakers in Exeter, Dr James Hickman gave a powerful account of his role\u00a0as the BASICS doctor first on scene. The harrowing nature of the environment and challenges he\u00a0faced were a timely reminder of the need for all of us to look after each other. No one chooses EM
\nas an easy option – but none of us are invulnerable. The College plans to survey the physical and\u00a0mental health of its members. The anonymised data will ensure we are better placed to pursue our\u00a0campaign for an equitable work life balance.<\/p>\n