Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is supporting the #SASsix national campaign, a roadmap for improving the careers for specialty, specialists and associate specialist (SAS) doctors and dentists.

The campaign was founded by the SAS Collective to improve the career development and retention of SAS doctors across the UK.

Northumbria Healthcare, which has more than 70 SAS doctors and dentists across all specialities, is committed to implementing the changes proposed that include:

·       Every early career SAS doctor should have access to an educational supervisor.

·       All SAS doctors should have equity of access to professional development opportunities relevant to their stage of career.

·       All specialty doctors who meet the required capabilities should have the opportunity to become specialists.

·       Senior SAS doctors should be offered the opportunity to be educators at every level on a par with consultants, such as educational supervisors, clinical supervisors, directors of medical education.

·       All extended roles in leadership and management should be open to all substantive medical staff.

·       All locally employed doctors employed for more than two years within one trust should be offered the opportunity to transfer to the appropriate SAS contract.

Dr Zoe Robertson, Northumbria's SAS tutor and a specialty anaesthetist, said: 'This is a great initiative to improve the careers of SAS doctors and benefit patients and the NHS as a whole.

'There is a wealth of talent often overlooked in SAS doctors and the #SASsix highlights the crucial role they play in delivering high-quality patient care and medical education.'