11 April 2022
In September 2018 Royal College of Emergency Medicine produced a position statement regarding the reinstatement of the Associate Specialist grade or equivalent.
Following negotiations with the NHS Employers and the BMA the Specialist grade was introduced in April 2021 in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. The new grade is designed to provide a senior level for SAS doctors i.e. a step up from the Specialty Doctor grade. The aim of introducing the new grade is to give SAS doctors the opportunity to have progression in their careers with recognition and reward for their additional experience and contribution to their work. This should also lead to increased recruitment and retention of these valuable doctors.
As this is a newly introduced grade, doctors and employers may not be familiar with the role and requirements of the grade in the specialty. The Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Anaesthetists has produced guidance and generic person specific specifications.
Much of the content of these documents is applicable to Emergency Medicine but there is a need for some specialty-specific advice. As such, EMSAS has produced this statement on Specialist Doctor appointments in EM, the aim of which is to provide some guidance regarding job descriptions for the Specialist doctor role.
The specialist grade introduced in April 2021 requires employers to use the generic capabilities framework and template person specification which they will develop based on the requirements of the service. EMSAS encourages all employers to use this framework when recruiting Specialist doctors in EM.
