Re: Professional Responsibilities to all non-Consultant Hospital Doctors

 

The Medical Council of Ireland has requested that RCSI as the Postgraduate Training Body for Surgery in Ireland remind all Surgeons of their professional responsibilities as registered medical practitioners under the Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics and the Eight Domains of Good Professional Practice as well as the RCSI Code of Practice for Surgeons

 

The Medical Council recognises senior clinician’s roles as educators and leaders in the development and support of all NCHDs. The responsibility to train, mentor and foster the next generation of doctors is a professional obligation.

 

Clinical duties must be delegated responsibly. NCHDs should not be expected to undertake procedures or make decisions beyond their competence without appropriate supervision, oversight and support.

 

Several domains are particularly relevant to the relationship between surgeons and NCHDs, including:

• Patient safety and quality of care,
• Communication and interpersonal skills,
• Collaboration and teamwork,
• Scholarship, professionalism, and clinical skills.

 

Surgeons are expected to provide constructive feedback, promote learning opportunities, support professional development, and model the highest standards of clinical and ethical practice.

 

Finally, surgeons should recognise the influence they have as role models. Professionalism, accountability, teamwork, ethical decision-making and compassionate patient care are often learned through observation of senior colleagues. Every interaction is an opportunity to demonstrate the standards expected of the medical profession and to contribute to the future quality and sustainability of surgical practice.

 

Thank you for your ongoing and continued commitment to surgical training and the development of future generations of surgeons.

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Professor Kevin Barry
National Director of Surgical Training Programmes