Clear for take off!
The Safe Surgery Saves Lives initiative is a collaborative project led by the Harvard School of Public Health in which more than 200 national and international medical societies and ministries of health are working together to reduce avoidable deaths and complications in surgical care.

Studies have shown major complications occur in 3% to 16% of inpatient surgical procedures in industrial countries with permanent disability or death rates of about 0.4% to 0.8%. Death rates in developing countries are estimated at 5% to 10 % during major operations. Half of these complications may be preventable.

The checklist identifies a set of surgical safety standards that can be applied in all countries and health settings. Use of the checklist in eight pilot sites has increased the rate of adherence to the standards from 36% to 68%, and in some hospitals to almost 100%. This has resulted in substantial reductions in complications and deaths in the 1000 patients analysed in the pilot studies.

Fitness to Practice

The GMC is currently reviewing its Fitness to Practice Tests of Competence and is looking for surgeons to assist in the validation of the assessment tools.

The GMC has developed assessment procedures for investigating allegedly poorly performing doctors in all areas of medical practice. These procedures involve a structured peer review workplace assessment and a test of competence, tailored to the doctor's actual practice.

The Academic Centre for Medical Education, (ACME), at University College London, which is carrying out this work with the GMC, undertakes an on-going validation of the test of competence assessment instruments, which include a written test and a set of clinical skills tests in an OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) format. It needs practising doctors of good standing to assist in the validation process, both as assessors and as validators. The results of these tests are anonymised and presented as ranges of achievement for grades of specialists. Those who wish can receive feedback about their own performance in the tests relative to their peers. In the unlikely event of a volunteer having scores that indicate a serious impairment of their fitness to practice, ACME is required to take appropriate action.

ACME are now recruiting volunteers for the next validation days for surgery on 8th and 9th October 2008. For participating in one day volunteers will receive a fee of £350, plus travel expenses (but not accommodation). CPD credits will be given. The venue will be the General Medical Council offices on Euston Road in London. Volunteers must have worked in the specialty within the last year.

If you 'are interested in participating in one of these validation days, please email the Academic Centre for Medical Education, 4th Floor, Holborn Union Building - Archway Campus - Highgate Hill, London N19 5LW, indicating which day you would be interested in attending.