We value taking care: how the RCP supports those at the beginning of their consultant career.
The challenges faced by those on their journey towards autonomous practice as a new consultant or SAS doctor can feel overwhelming at times. Comprised of new consultants in their first 5 years in post, the RCP New Consultants Committee (NCC) aims to support doctors during this career stage and represent the needs and interests of this group within the RCP, providing advice to RCP boards, committees and working parties.
The committee’s presence within the RCP, therefore, ensures that decisions and activities that relate to this career stage are made with the new consultant in mind. Committee representatives also act as ambassadors within their region and can be contacted to discuss local issues – an important communication channel that allows us to stay abreast of your concerns and ideas.
We value collaboration: how you can get involved
The committee contains seats for 17 regional representatives, two co-opted members, a chair and deputy chair who also act as regional ambassadors. You can learn more about each representative here. The NCC are always keen to hear from those who may wish to get involved, and are currently recruiting for several regional vacancies
We value learning: the committee’s role in developing the ‘National new consultants conference’
An additional remit of the NCC is to develop educational resources to support new consultants and SAS doctors before appointment and during their first five years of post. This includes educational courses, tailored events, and RCP Launchpad – an online resource hub.
Recently, the committee has worked with the RCP Regional Team to plan and deliver the National new consultants conference – a one-day digital event which seeks to offer practical tips and guidance on a wide range of topics; from managing your time and developing your role, to making changes and improving services.
Given their lived understanding, the committee were able to identify areas of potential concern for those on their journey towards autonomous practice, such as job planning or attending the coroners court, and include these on the programme. The result is a series of relevant talks that aid professional and personal development and may provide career direction.
Two talks stood out particularly from our attendee feedback. The first on handling complaints, by Dr Sean Weaver helped guide a good understanding of responsibility and the detailed legal frameworks in healthcare.
The second, from previous RCP president, Sir Andrew Goddard (Bod) focused on lessons in leadership. Bod summarised his key messages with a little help from the ‘greats’ – advice we could all benefit from remembering:
- ‘Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom’ – Aristotle. According to Bod, as a leader, it’s important to be true to yourself; you need to play to your strengths and know who you are, whether that’s by asking others for their feedback, or by taking time to reflect on your skills.
- ‘People say I’m lucky but, you know, the more I practise the luckier I get’ – Gary Player. Like golf, leadership skills must be honed and perfected over time. If your long-term goal is to find a senior leadership position, you need to get some practice. Take up opportunities as they come.
- ‘It will pass whatever it is’ – David Kindersley. Although your journey as a leader may not always be smooth, it’s important to remember that tough times will pass.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the work of the New Consultants Committee, and the success of the National new consultants conference. The event was live streamed on Wednesday 20 March and is still available to watch on demand until 3 June 2024.*
*Please note, while the content is available on demand for 90 days post-broadcast (18 June 2024), it is CPD accredited until 19 April. For the remaining days, you can self-accredit as independent learning and download an attendance certificate.