President

Sept 2018 – Welcome to this month’s RCEM news – schools are back, the blaze of the summer is over (or perhaps an Indian summer ahead) and of course Emergency Departments are girding themselves for what is likely to be an incredibly tough autumn/winter period. We also have a new Secretary of State for Health in England, Matt Hancock, as well Jeane Freeman in Scotland. We will be progressing on a range of work to influence and collaborate with their new teams.

August 2018 – August – a month to welcome new doctors into the ED freshly minted from their first Foundation year’s experiences from the wards. A chance to allow them to explore the excitement of Emergency Medicine, the diagnostic challenge of the undifferentiated patient, the variety of presentations and of course the unique team work that is TeamED.

July 2018 – Greetings from the height of a July summer in Yorkshire (!). Wimbledon and strawberries have been supplemented and indeed complemented by the joys of the football World Cup, no doubt of interest to some at least depending upon your team. If previous World Cups are anything to go by, the periods during the key games will be very quiet in EDs around the country, though perhaps not afterwards.

June 2018 – At every level in EM our job is to somehow influence and guide, inside or outside the clinical arena. At some levels that can be incredibly challenging.

May 2018 – One of the real challenges and skills required for all of us in leadership roles, local or national, is to be able to have a clarity of focus. People regularly will and should challenge within teams – “Where are we going?” “How are we going to get there?” “What should we focus on to make sure we are pushing in the same direction?”

April 2018 – Spring has definitely arrived (I write this as most of us dig ourselves out of the snow after the Beast from the East!) and we can reflect on the continuing challenges that face our Emergency Departments and our staff. It is certainly a marker of the dedication, commitment and sheer ‘can do’ attitude that has allowed us to somehow maintain safety and provide decent care to our patients.

March 2018 – The joy of daffodils appearing, lightens the heart and the spirit! Spring is here and no doubt it gives a certain sense of pleasure that you can put your ‘seasonal affective disorder’ lamp away for another year.

Feb 2018 – Numbers are a funny thing! You can make such a clear judgement about some, but others take more time to decipher and understand what they mean and what the consequences really are. This month is all about numbers!

Jan 2018 – Welcome to 2018. No doubt your New Year resolutions have been finely sculpted in your mind and your body is already beginning to see the benefits!

December 2017 – Welcome to this month’s reflections of College news and events. A month indeed to look back on 2017 and touch on some of the real highlights that have marked the College calendar as well as noting the ongoing battles that we face.