20 November 2023
RCEM has a new Chair of EMSAS after two weeks of campaigning by Dr Jocelyn Brittliff and Dr Immad Shahnawaz Qureshi.
EMSAS members have voted for Dr Qureshi, who was officially announced as the newly elected Chair at the EMSAS Conference on 16 November, and has now taken over from Dr Steve Black who has finished his three-year term.
As EMSAS Chair, Dr Qureshi will advocate for Emergency Medicine Specialty and Specialist doctors on important issues inside the College and beyond for the next three years.
He will also attend RCEM Board and Committee meetings and promote the role of EMSAS in the wider College’s response to education, research, policy and membership matters.
Dr Qureshi and Dr Black were interviewed at the conference on Wednesday (15 November) after the new Chair was announced (full video above).
Commenting today after taking his new position, Dr Qureshi said: “I’m so excited by the opportunity to serve the EMSAS membership, as we are the largest staff group in Emergency Medicine and RCEM.
“Steve Black has been a brilliant Chair for the last three years and I’m looking forward to building upon his hard work with my team of executives, keeping Steve on the Executive Council as Immediate Past Chair.
“Thank you to Jocelyn Brittliff for her brilliant opposition in this election, she was an incredibly strong candidate for the Chair, and this added a lot of excitement. Jocelyn has been Vice Chair for the last two years and will be continuing in this role on the EMSAS Executive Council.”
Dr Qureshi, who is the Clinical Governance Lead for the Emergency Department Isle of Wight NHS Trust, was successful in becoming the SAS Representative on West Midlands RCEM Regional Board and became the FASSGEM (now EMSAS) Representative for the West Midlands.
He joined the Executive Committee of FASSGEM by becoming the SAS Representative on RCEM’s Education Committee in 2019. He also became a SAS grade examiner at RCEM in 2021.
In 2023, Dr Qureshi represented EMSAS on RCEM taskforce to write a new Speciality Specific Guidance (SSG) for CESR candidates, a task required by the GMC due to new legislation. The new SSG is live on the GMC and RCEM websites and will be in effect from 30 November 2023.
Congratulating Dr Qureshi on his appointment, Dr Adrian Boyle, President of RCEM, said: “Immad becoming the new Chair is a great opportunity for EMSAS and I’m looking forward to seeing what changes are to come.
“Steve Black has been a brilliant Chair for the last three years and it will be exciting to hear how Immad plans to build upon his hard work and dedication. Well done to Jocelyn Brittliff for a good and well-fought campaign.
“Immad’s passionate about making positive changes for SAS clinicians and he will be a strong representative on RCEM’s councils and committees.”
Dr Qureshi concluded: “I’m now looking forward to using my position as EMSAS Chair to be a strong voice for all our members at College Council and Committee meetings and support SAS clinicians’ needs and improve their position not just nationally but globally.
“In the next three years as Chair, I want all our members to feel that I’m a reliable voice for advocating on their behalf when it comes to important issues and that my actions are advancing their careers. It is my aim to develop more opportunities for our members through a larger network of support and trainer recognition, and I know that will attract an even stronger and diverse membership that will enhance and enjoy the brilliance of our EMSAS annual conferences.”
EMSAS members are invited to contact emsas@rcem.ac.uk if they wish to find out more about the forum.
