EMSAS Chair, Dr Jocelyn Brittliff, reflects on the significance of SAS week, shares highlights from her role within RCEM, and outlines what’s ahead for EMSAS.
6 October 2025
Welcome to SAS week 2025. It’s a great opportunity to promote Specialty and Associate Specialist doctors (SAS) careers and the wonderful people in these roles.
In one of its event titles RCEM describes adolescents as ‘the lost tribe’, and sometimes I think SAS doctors are the lost tribe in terms of the medical workforce.
Most members of the public do not know about us, and even some fellow medical professionals seem to misunderstand our role.
So how did I end up where I am?
I come from a non-medical family and decided at a young age I wanted to be a doctor – something I never wavered from.
But I didn’t know what to expect once I got there!
During my medical student years I changed my mind several times over what I wanted to do specialty-wise, but after a few jobs I quickly realised A&E was for me – because it was A&E then!
Once I had settled on a specialty, I was drawn to what was then called the ‘staff grade’ role.
At that time there were far fewer consultants, no specific training programme, and no RCEM!
The department I now work in had three consultants (it now has more than 20!), so their ‘shop floor’ presence was much less than it is now.
I liked seeing patients, caring for them, ‘fixing them’ when I could, not doing admin, not trying to find new jobs and potentially having to move regularly.
So having made my way to Glasgow I settled here when a staff grade job I had an eye on became available.
Over the years in post, I have seen many changes, and through that I like to think I provide a constant presence – someone who knows the department/systems/hospital when all the residents are changing.
The specialty is now Emergency Medicine; consultant numbers have massively expanded with a greater shop floor presence.
The SAS contract has changed twice – firstly to the Speciality doctor contract and then more recently reintroducing potential for progression with the new Specialist contract.
There is now a formal training programme, and for those who follow a different route, a portfolio pathway.
And I’ve changed too. I have never regretted the choice I made to be a SAS doctor, and I am proud to be SAS by choice.
However, I now do have extended interests beyond my patient care.
Within the department I have been heavily involved in our tissue donation programme, and now offering cold debriefs – a service heavily driven by several of our amazing nursing staff. (Two of whom presented at our May EMSAS meeting on the setting up of our service.)
Outside of the “day job” I gradually became increasingly involved in what was FASSGEM and is now EMSAS.
I was encouraged to get involved by a friend and former colleague (now enjoying a well-deserved retirement).
Firstly, I took on Scottish board rep, which I did for two terms and thoroughly enjoyed.
I then got involved with the Sustainable working Practices Committee, and through that I am now working in a small group being chaired by new RCEM President Ian ‘Higgi’ Higginson, looking at older clinicians in EM.
Then I was encouraged to stand as Vice Chair, and December last year became Chair. It is a privilege to be able to represent SAS doctors all at RCEM levels, and the opportunities that leads to.
I have mentioned some previously but was particularly proud to be able to represent EMSAS at a parliamentary event championing SAS doctors in May.
We have published our EMSAS handbook which I am hoping is a great resource for anyone in a SAS role.
Next month (November 2025) we are hosting our annual conference in Cardiff, and it is looking like a great event.
Please do try and come in person if you can – virtual is a great alternative but for me that chance to meet and chat with people is the extra cherry on the cake.
For the first time this year instead of having an “AGM” within the conference we have taken that out and are hosting it as a separate event online at 11am on Wednesday 15 October 2025.
It is free to attend. My aim is to try and improve opportunities for you all to engage with us as an exec team, to hear what we have been doing on your behalf, but also for you to tell us what you would like us to do.
So please, come along to both events, watch out for chances to get involved with EMSAS – start small, you don’t know where it may lead, after all who dares wins!
Happy SAS week all!
Jocelyn Brittliff
EMSAS Chair