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Would you like dedicated time to build your experience in research and QI while continuing clinical practice? Perhaps, you’re looking for mentorship from leading clinicians, researchers and policymakers in perioperative medicine? A fellowship with the Centre for Research and Improvement (CR&I) could be a perfect fit.

Alongside several other fellows, I’ve had the pleasure of a CR&I fellowship for the past year. Fellowships generally last 12 months, however several previous fellows have used the opportunity to develop proposals and obtain funding for higher degrees to continue their work. Fellows are attached to RCoA research projects, previously including PQIP, NELA, the QI Working Group, SNAPs and NAPs, among others.

When I returned to my role as a CR&I/RCoA perioperative quality improvement programme (PQIP) fellow, I found this came with unique expectations and required planning. Hopefully by sharing what I learnt, it will help those who are returning to work after a period of leave, especially those returning to job roles that do not necessarily fit the norm.

Returning to work: general things to consider

When RTW there are key dates and tasks to consider. Table 1 details some of the things that need to be arranged and when these need to be done. There are also many resources to consult (see below ). Using these in conjunction with your hospital policy is a good starting point.

Preparing your home for your new arrival while managing professional responsibilities can feel overwhelming. As a NELA fellow involved in the set-up of the NoLap audit, there were unique challenges and expectations as I prepared for my absence.

Essential preparations before maternity leave

During your pregnancy, there are several essential tasks to complete. I found the checklist provided by the BMA particularly helpful in ensuring that nothing important was overlooked. Check out the BMA’s maternity leave checklist here.

Find out the latest appointments approved, and with sadness we record the deaths of some of our fellows. 

In the last Bulletin issue, ACSA reviewed the achievements of the scheme upon its 10^th anniversary. We continue to reflect now by celebrating anaesthetic departments who have been accredited and re-accredited over the last year. They share their experiences in their own words.

This year, Santa turns 2,403 years old. Although Greek by birth, the modern-day figure of Santa is based on images drawn by American cartoonist Nast in 1863 from the description given in the poem “ 'Twas the Night Before Christmas”, first published by Moore in 1823. 

During a typical 85-year lifespan, the average American requires 9.17 surgeries. It’s not inconceivable, therefore, that with his rather risky lifestyle, Santa, too, may one day need to go under the knife.

Santa may be reluctant to take time away from work, but thinking of the not-impossible event that he ever requires surgery (perhaps due to Tim Allen-esque trauma), I have started to risk-stratify the jolly old man. Should Santa experience an untimely demise perioperatively, not only will millions of children no longer wake to gifts under the tree, but in true Santa Claus™ style, someone in the hospital might be required to eternally take up his mantle, and the rota in our hospital is difficult enough to staff as it is.

Dr Ann Shearer has been a member of PatientsVoices@RCoA since 2018, and will be stepping down this year as patient voices serve for a maximum of six years. Chair of the group, Jenny Westaway, interviewed Ann about her experiences in the role.

Jenny was particularly interested in how Ann’s own considerable professional experience had influenced her work as a patient representative. Before retiring, Ann was an associate dean with NHS Education for Scotland, having previously been a consultant/senior lecturer in restorative dentistry and vice-dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Perioperative Journal Watch is written by TRIPOM (trainees with an interest in perioperative medicine) and is a brief distillation of recent important papers and articles on perioperative medicine from across the spectrum of medical publications.