EMSAS

Emergency Medicine Specialty and Specialist Doctors (EMSAS)

What is EMSAS?

EMSAS (formerly known as FASSGEM), is the forum for Emergency Medicine Specialty And Specialist Doctors. It’s an integral part of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. We represent and support all EM Staff & Trust grade doctors including Associate Specialists, Specialist doctors, Speciality doctors, Staff grades, Trust grades, Clinical fellows and other doctors working in non-standard posts in emergency medicine in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

The history of EMSAS

EMSAS (Formerly FASSGEM) was created in 1997, with the help of two EM consultants, Ken Nesbit and Iain Stewart, (to whom we owe great gratitude) to provide some form of training for a group of doctors then known as Non Consultant Career Grade (NCCG) doctors. This initially consisted of an annual Conference held in Plymouth. However EMSAS has gained increasing recognition, due in part to great stewardship from its first and subsequent chairs, Dr Andrew Newton and Juan Ballesteros but also from the growing force of the SAS UK craft committee together with support from BAEM/FAEM (and now RCEM). The term NCCG has now been replaced by the more appropriate term SAS, and the new contract which was finally introduced in 2008, based on the consultant contract, recognises the requirement for SPAs for SAS doctors.
Former logo, changed November 2021.

EMSAS now

EMSAS now represents doctors who are members of RCEM, but do not belong to the consultant or the trainee groups. EMSAS has representation on all but one of the College (RCEM) committees, and crucially also has a vote on RCEM council from its chair. EMSAS’s structure is based on its parent (RCEM) with Officers (Chair, Treasurer, BMA rep, Secretary, Immediate Past Chair), Executives (International, Professional Standards, Quality in Emergency Care, Simulation committees, Deputy Chair) and regional representatives. The increasing demands on EM, the 4 hour target, the increasing numbers of juniors with reduced clinical experience and the College desire to have senior and experienced clinical staff on the ‘shop floor’ has led to an exponential increase in the number of SAS doctors. We now number about 900 with another 400 Trust Grade doctors and Clinical Assistants throughout UK.

Vision and objectives

SAS positions are considered to be essential to the provision of safe effective emergency care to patients in the UK and Ireland.
EMSAS aims:

• to achieve membership of RCEM and EMSAS by all SAS doctors working in Emergency Medicine
• to ensure that SAS doctors working in EM will be welcomed as members of the College and given equal opportunities to the rights and privileges
• to ensure that SAS doctors are welcomed as members of the clinical team in their departments and their contributions to patient care valued
• to provide an effective system of communication between members of RCEM/EMSAS
• to encourage and support CPD for all SAS doctors in EM
• to promote the development of opportunities for SAS doctors in EM to learn and progress in their career pathway.
• to provide an interface with RCEM
• to participate in and contribute to all RCEM activities and committees
• to provide a value for money Conference annually for RCEM/EMSAS members.

This mission is delivered in UK and the Republic of Ireland primarily through the activities of its Officers and Executives through their representational roles in RCEM.

Each aspect of the activities and resources of EMSAS are regularly updated in the light of work being done by a number of taskforces and other groups. A risk register pertinent to EMSAS and its activities is also maintained. This is available to read from AGM Minutes and reports from Officers and Executives (Regional Reps).

• Please click here for the full statement

EMSAS supports the RespectEd campaign.

The RCEM/EMSAS Person Specification for the Specialist Doctor grade

Following 6 months of work led by John Burns (previous Chair) and the exec team, we are pleased to announce that our Specialist Doctor document has been approved by RCEM Council. We would like to thank the team, working group including Lisa, Ian and Adrian and RCEM Council for their help with this.
See the Specialist Doctor document.

Membership

Dear EMSAS members,

We are pleased to be able to announce a new membership category at RCEM which recognises your hard work and dedication to our specialty. It will give you the ability to vote on future RCEM Presidents.

The criteria for member by election is as follows:

• Shall have full registration and a Licence to Practice with the General Medical Council; and
• Shall have completed a minimum of 12 years’ medical work (either continuous period or in aggregate) since obtaining a primary medical qualification of which a minimum of six years must have been in Emergency Medicine in an SAS grade (including closed grades as Associate Specialist) in the UK. Equivalent years’ experience from other emergency medicine grades including from overseas will also be considered.
• Shall meet the criteria set out in the Specialist grade generic capabilities Framework.

In order to apply we would ask members to complete a membership application form via this link to show that they meet the criteria as above, there are no additional fees to pay and the membership subscription is the same as EMSAS members would be paying as an associate member

Plans have begun to develop a network of SAS doctors at every trust across the UK and Ireland. There are also some regional and committee vacancies available within EMSAS to represent us at RCEM.

Please get in touch if this is something you would be interested in through EMSAS@rcem.ac.uk

Membership

Membership of EMSAS is open to anyone working at this level in Emergency Medicine. However to be a voting member and be a representative in any committees, you must be a member of the RCEM. It is EMSAS’s recommendation and part of its mission statement that all its members are also members of RCEM. Membership of RCEM will also be helpful in accruing supporting information for the revalidation process and online registration of CPD is now a feature of RCEM.

Summary

EMSAS aims to represent and promote the interests of SAS doctors within RCEM, supporting their educational interests and seeking to enhance collaborative working between SAS doctors and other practitioners within the specialty of Emergency Medicine. EMSAS has come a long way in the years since it began and its achievements are the result of hard work on the part of its members. EMSAS is unique amongst the SAS groups with representation at BMA (CCSC), RCEM regional board level. To maintain our position, we need everyone to contribute, whether at local or national level. Please join us and contribute your own special experiences!

For any queries please email: emsas@RCEM.ac.uk

Other Useful links

• BMA
• BMA Counselling (24 hours a day, seven days a week) and Doctor Advisor Service: 0330 123 1245
• Department of Health
• Health Protection Agency

Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR)

Information about applying for entry to the specialist register via a CESR application can be found on the GMC website

Our website also provides specialty specific advice and resources, including a template of Competences vs Evidence which is a tool to assist CESR applicants in providing evidence which addresses all competences of the current EM curriculum. This may be completed and submitted to the GMC with the CESR application.

Please see the CESR page here.

Upcoming Events

Join us each year at the EMSAS Annual Conference, a hybrid event dedicated to fostering education and networking within our community. This conference offers a unique opportunity to connect with leading speakers, gain valuable insights, and expand your professional network.

Whether you attend in-person or virtually, you’ll have access to a wealth of knowledge and resources designed to enhance your skills and career. Our hybrid format ensures that everyone can participate, regardless of location, making this event accessible to all. Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of an inspiring conference that connects our community year after year.

Check out the RCEM events calendar for the latest information. 

Adel Aziz Legacy

Adel Aziz was an Associate Specialist in the Emergency Department in Southampton, TARN lead and influential in the careers of hundreds of EM doctors.
He was loved by his department where he worked since 1998.
He was Chair of FASSGEM from 2014 to 2017.
His passion for trauma care led him to establish the Egyptian trauma network and the Annual trauma conference in Cairo.
Adel sadly died following a short battle with cancer in January 2020.
Even as he was dying, he set up a charity page to raise over £27,000 for a Chemotherapy room at a hospital in Egypt.
We are planning to honour his memory with a legacy from EMSAS/FASSGEM, this is currently under discussion.

EMSAS Executive & Representatives

EMSAS Chairs on BAEM, CEM and RCEM