Dr Anushka Aubeelack

‘He suggested we go to a quiet room to talk. I knew that was not good news’ — The Observer My cancer diagnosis was the last thing anyone expected or needed – but especially my mum, while going through chemotherapy herself

Middle aged man. Cancer of the oesophagus diagnosis. His mum being treated for myeloma

“A pox on those who would talk down the NHS, who would underfund it, defund it and even seek to dismantle it. A pox on them,

apple.news/AIlG8GsfESGi...

Yes and after I use it.

Lib Dem leader Edward Davey calls for a national investigation into Russian political interference in British politics:

"Given Reform won't, he must. So will he know launch a national investigation into Russian infiltration into our politics?"

Starmer: "Reform is riddled with pro-Putin propaganda"

'Millennials delaying parenthood because they’re caught in a ‘rent trap’, unable to buy a home, may wonder: who is coming to save them, and when?', writes Housing Correspondent Vicky Spratt

➡️Read More: trib.al/ai5pBJD

Revealed: Thousands of NHS doctors are trapped in insecure “gig economy” contracts Thousands of locally employed doctors—many of them international graduates and from ethnic minorities—are trapped in insecure NHS contracts with no access to training, career progression, or national ...

I spoke to doctors across England for this @bmj.com investigation. Senior medics leading services and training others but stuck on insecure contracts. Others with no supervision, training or progression - just filling rota gaps. Many egs of poor practice from NHS trusts. www.bmj.com/content/391/...

YouTube video by Dr Imran Sharieff The relevance of EDI issues to SAS doctors by the SAS collective.

Today is day 4 of #SASweek25, focused around equity, diversity and inclusion.

We believe SAS issues are undeniably EDI issues, based on both the demographics of our professional group, and how grade itself can introduce prejudices.

youtu.be/IN4J9_b47Aw?...

SAS six infographic, including asks about educational supervision and development opportunity for SAS doctors, AND the opportunity for SAS doctors to become leaders and educators.

Today is day 3 of #SASweek25, focused around SAS development AND SAS doctors undertaking extended roles.

These things form a big chunk of the #SASsix.

We consider it self-evident that a career that is limited, is potential being wasted. We can't have that!

The SAS six national support slide, now including RCPysch!

We are absolutely ecstatic that as part of their #SASweek25 celebrations, the @rcpsych.bsky.social have decided to become the sixth college support the #SASsix campaign. We love it!

They have announced this on X, hopefully they will do so here too in due course.

Bravo, psychiatry!

Screenshot of the SIVA 2025 ASM app, which is very good indeed.

To the folks attending #SIVA25 tomorrow, don't forget to download the app! It is your indispensable guide to all things SIVA ASM.

Available for android and apple, the instructions should have come with one of our recent emails.

The @rcphysicians.bsky.social have been important allies to the #SASsix campaign.

We agree entirely with President Mumtaz Patel in her rapid response to this weeks @bmj.com article.

Bravo!

Rapid response to BMJ investigation: Thousands of NHS doctors are trapped in insecure “gig economy” contracts

‘Once a doctor has been employed in the same specialty by the same trust for more than two years, they should be moved to a nationally negotiated SAS contract.’

👉 Read our rapid response to a @bmj.com investigation revealing thousands of LEDs are trapped in insecure contracts: ow.ly/m9sm50XwQot

REVEALED: Thousands of NHS doctors are trapped in insecure 'gig economy' contracts. Bearded clown quoted as saying "Every doctor who doesn't achieve their potential is a catastrophe", which is true.

Bearded clown alert. Page 182 of today's BMJ.

There are successful, progressive careers to be had for doctors outside of rotational training. However, we have to decide as a profession to make it normal for all, and the NHS has to stop behaving like a 'gig economy' employer.

#SASsix

This is an extremely important thread for all of us in NHS secondary care and includes a great piece from @emmajourno.bsky.social and @abirimmer.bsky.social.

My concern is, as we try to stay off Twitter, these pieces disappear into the ether.

There was a valiant effort to make #MedSkyDebate...

9/ Probably should have tagged some of these folks in the thread.

@bmj.com @gmcuk.bsky.social @redrunswick.bsky.social @emmajourno.bsky.social @parthaskar.bsky.social

The SAS Collective | #SASsix campaign The SAS Collective advocates for Specialist, Associate Specialist, and Specialty doctors across the NHS. Discover the #SASsix campaign and support SAS career development.

8/ Alternative career pathways need parity of esteem, and we believe this is how it should be done.

Find out more about our work and our #SASsix campaign here:

www.sascollective.com

The #SASsix campaign infographic.

7/ Today's service must not come at the cost of tomorrow's. We believe this is the single biggest workforce issue of the day.

The #SASsix campaign is based around appropriate contract use, support for professional development, and the opportunity for senior doctors to become leaders and educators.

6/ As @rcphysicians.bsky.social reiterate in their rapid response (above), we must get better at supporting the careers of doctors outside of formal training programmes, or we won't keep them or see them reach their potential.

There should be no such thing as a "non-training" doctor.

Rapid response to BMJ investigation: Thousands of NHS doctors are trapped in insecure “gig economy” contracts

5/ Many of the stories in this article are harrowing, and describe international medical graduates and early career UK graduates being exploited with inappropriate contracts, no prospects for career development, and little hope to be had.

www.rcp.ac.uk/news-and-med...

Revealed: Thousands of NHS doctors are trapped in insecure “gig economy” contracts Thousands of locally employed doctors—many of them international graduates and from ethnic minorities—are trapped in insecure NHS contracts with no access to training, career progression, or national ...

4/ Meanwhile, an expose in the BMJ brought the experiences of these locally-employed doctors, in short-term, non-standard "gig economy" contracts, into sharp focus.

You can read that one here:

www.bmj.com/content/391/...

Workforce report The state of medical education and practice: workforce report analyses trends in the medical workforce across the UK. It uses a variety of sources to provide insights for policymakers and workforce pl...

3/ It also demonstrates that we don't retain these doctors in the workforce.

Read more here:

www.gmc-uk.org/about/what-w...

Table from the GMC workforce report demonstrating that unlike SAS doctors, who are employed on substantive permanent contracts, the majority of locally-employed doctors are employed on short-term contracts, without permanence or job security.

2/ The new General Medical Council workforce report once again illustrates that the most rapidly rising cohort in the medical workforce are locally-employed doctors. This year is also looks at their contract duration, and finds that the majority in this group are on short-term contracts.

Graph from the 2025 GMC workforce report, showing 10 year trends in professional groups. The number of locally-employed doctors, on non-standard, non-national and usually non-permanent contracts has increased fourfold in a decade. LEDs now outnumber SAS doctors, on nationally-negotiated contracts, roughly 3.5:1.

1/ The medical workforce and the #SASsix, a Saturday morning thread...

The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted two related publications relating to workforce this week. Taken together, they paint a stark picture of the current medical workforce.

You really should read this with your coffee this morning folks. It just might change your perspective and it could save the medical workforce.

Plus, there are graphs. I like graphs.

#SASsix

Instead of having a coherent workforce plan, the NHS is now part of the gig economy, writes @kamranabbasi.bsky.social in this new Editor's Choice
www.bmj.com/content/391/...

Revealed: Thousands of NHS doctors are trapped in insecure “gig economy” contracts Thousands of locally employed doctors—many of them international graduates and from ethnic minorities—are trapped in insecure NHS contracts with no access to training, career progression, or national ...

BMJ finds that thousands of locally employed doctors are being ‘exploited’ by NHS Trusts using contracts that deny them training, progression and nationally agreed benefits. Many of these doctors are international graduates and from ethnic minorities
www.bmj.com/content/391/...

Revealed: Thousands of NHS doctors are trapped in insecure “gig economy” contracts Thousands of locally employed doctors—many of them international graduates and from ethnic minorities—are trapped in insecure NHS contracts with no access to training, career progression, or national ...

“We believe that locally employed doctors should be offered the appropriate permanent SAS contract for their work. As well as employment rights, this would give these folks the professional identity they are currently being denied.”

#SASsix

www.bmj.com/content/391/...

Rise of LEDs

A new #BMJInvestigation finds that thousands of locally employed doctors are trapped in insecure NHS contracts with no access to training, career progression, or national safeguards.

Experts warn that the NHS is effectively “behaving like a gig economy employer”
www.bmj.com/content/391/...

Revealed: Thousands of NHS doctors are trapped in insecure “gig economy” contracts Thousands of locally employed doctors—many of them international graduates and from ethnic minorities—are trapped in insecure NHS contracts with no access to training, career progression, or national ...

We were pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this article.

We think doctors trapped in long-term local contracts are "hidden SAS". They deserve the national contract for the work done.

We hope our campaign helps to make this normal.

#SASsix

www.bmj.com/content/391/...

The NHS recruits international medical graduates onto non-standard, non-national and non-permanent contracts. Many are trapped on these contracts for years.

It is exploitative, and how normal it has become scares the bejesus out of me.

Everyone in healthcare should read this article.

#SASsix

SAS six inforgraphic.

Enjoying the Midlands SAS Conference.

@michellepooley.bsky.social and @elliepattinsonnhs.bsky.social are always a highlight, and are today talking about the barriers faced by SAS doctors from an NHS Employers perspective.

Nice that the #SASsix and @sascollective.com got a mention or two.