President: Goldie Khera

Let me introduce myself - I am Goldie Khera having just completed 6 years as a SpR on the Mersey Rotation with an interest in Laparoscopic surgery. I have recently been appointed as a Bariatric fellow in North Tyneside after completing my exit FRCS exam. Originally a Brummie, I am now an honorary scouser having been in Liverpool for 19 years and marrying one!

I graduated from Liverpool University in 1998 with an intercalated Physiology BSc Hons and MBChB - all of my house jobs, senior house jobs (4 'Wilderness years' - gaining a fantastic grounding in A+E, Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Paediatric surgery, Paeds Neuro, Paeds Plastics, ENT, Urology, ITU and Cardiothoracic Surgery) where in the Mersey Rotation. Post MRCS I escaped to do my first Surgical Registrar post literally as far away as I could go! - Brisbane, Australia. This was something that I had organised myself through a locum agency, having a UK interview and then getting Australian registration and sponsorship. This was the experience of a lifetime! The job itself was a 1 in 3 general surgical on call - so a heavy heavy clinical load, luckily in a unit where there was opportunity to research - I published 3 articles and got my first international meeting presentation! The sports and travelling that we got up to made it feel like a holiday! - I would strongly recommend this career break for any aspiring surgeon. Certainly I caught the laparoscopic bug whilst out there - instead of being an expert at lap cholecystectomy camera holding during my SHO years - I was taught to be independent at Lap appendicectomy, Laparoscopy and Lap cholecystectomy. As well as the rudiments of  Lap suturing when these was still in their infancy for UK trainees. On my arrival back to the UK I locumed at various LAS/LAT jobs - but the pull of the river Mersey was too much for me and I accepted a Mersey SpR rotation. Subsequently having a baby girl and was elected ASiT representative for the Mersey region by my peers in 2007.

We all know that surgical training is under threat. We must unify as trainees to preserve our craft skills and not let political agendas ruin our specialty. ASiT provides our only cohesive voice. The coalition government must listen constructively whilst it pauses and not steam roller its agenda through. Training, quality, safety and service can and should be synonymous with each other.  It must deliver its pre election promises and end the shackling of our training to EWTD. Targeted training lists, 24 hour access to surgical skills simulators and a feedback assessment process with bite are the only way for us to obtain the skills necessary to becoming independently practicing CCT and FRCS holding surgical consultants of the future. We need an increase in study leave and budget to enable shorter training to be viable. We also need to retain the autonomy of doctors and reverse the trend of nurse specialists being able to cherry pick easy/simpler training cases and look into reversing nurse prescribing.

Down banding is taking effect on our monthly wage. After the halcyon period of Band 3 pay - will we ever reach parity with lawyers who are unhappy at £91/hour for legal aid bread and butter? We need to renegotiate our pay in light of our often artificial banding. We are also disappointed with the defacto pay cut to newly qualified doctors secondary to a loss of hospital accommodation.

Mersey Deanery tried to stop travelling expenses unless you live greater than 30 miles away from your current hospital. With the argument being that relocation expenses are available at the start of the rotation. Again with fuel prices going up and car park charges to park at work this another stealth pay cut. Thanks to the BMA this has been postponed for 1 year but promises to be a continuing contentious issue.

With the increase in university tuition fees, escalating costs of courses, expenses, exams and our pensions diluted - Should we be considering industrial action?

Despite all of these changes and upheavals we must remain upbeat, proactive and true to our patients - the fight is with the politicians and managers!!