Specialist, associate specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors contribute at every stage of their careers, from post-foundation doctors to senior autonomous clinicians and experts in their specialty. Their expertise is essential not only to delivering high-quality care, but it's often overlooked how much they can also contribute to leadership, education, continuity of service, and mentoring the next generation of doctors.

SAS week provides an important opportunity to recognise the outstanding contribution of SAS doctors and the value that this vital cohort of doctors bring to our services. Yet meaningful recognition should not be limited to a single week - SAS doctors deserve to be properly valued through fair remuneration for their work and clear pathways for career progression. Employers, doctors and representative bodies such as the BMA all have a responsibility to champion and support SAS doctors in pursuing these shared goals throughout the year.

This year has brought a critical new development. As part of their negotiations with  Government in England, the SAS Committee and Resident Doctors Committee (RDC) both worked to provide substantial benefits for Locally Employed Doctors (LEDs), including greater job security, contractual protections and control over their careers. SASC, as a result of their work, successfully brokered arrangements for LEDs in England to transition to SAS contracts, via the Eligibility and Permanency Framework (EPF) which you can read more about here.

Ensuring that LEDs are afforded appropriate contractual protections is only one part of the battle. Having fought to increase the number of doctors eligible to be recognised with a SAS contract, we now need to support SASC in ensuring that those contracts are defended and improved, so that all SAS doctors have the opportunity for a rewarding career that allows for their ongoing professional development.

As Chair of the Resident Doctors Committee and Co-Chairs of the Consultants Committee, we are proud to celebrate the vital role SAS doctors play across our health services. We encourage everyone to use this opportunity to learn more about the contributions of SAS colleagues, and work to help ensure their value is recognised and respected in the workplace.

This is a joint blog from consultants and resident doctor committees