Tag: Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Exhibition honouring pioneering female surgeons unveiled

New artwork commissioned by Royal Medical College will celebrate contributions of women in surgery

A painting commemorating the contributions of female surgeons has been unveiled at Surgeons’ Hall Museums in Edinburgh, marking a significant step forward in increasing the representation of women held in the collections there.

The painting, titled ‘Eleven Surgeons’, by Scotland-based artist Kirstin Mackinnon, represents the namesakes and recipients of the Hunter-Doig medal.

This prestigious award is named after pioneering female surgeons Alice Hunter (1880s-1973) and Caroline Doig (1938-2019), and has been awarded to nine exceptional female surgeons to date – all of whom are still practicing – for excellence within the surgical profession.

Surgeons’ Hall Museums, part of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, commissioned the painting as part of a wider initiative celebrating women’s contributions to surgery.

This includes a temporary exhibition, a permanent museum display, a programme of oral history collecting to secure the histories of living female surgeons, and an extensive programme of learning and engagement activities running throughout 2025–2026.

The composition of the large-scale, oil on canvas artwork includes portraits of Alice Hunter and Caroline Doig, as well as all nine Hunter-Doig medal recipients.

Louise Wilkie, Curator of Surgeons’ Hall Museums, said: “Currently only three out of the 144 portraits in the collections here feature women, and we’re dedicated to addressing this imbalance.

“We feel it is incredibly important to showcase the contributions of female surgeons throughout the years and hope this newest addition to the collection will demonstrate how the surgical profession has evolved. We hope by telling this story, to inspire the next generation of surgeons by paying tribute to those who have paved the way.”

Clare McNaught, Vice President of RCSEd, said: “Honouring and educating others about the women who have played a significant role in shaping the College as we know it today, and in championing the rights of women in the medical field, is something we feel very strongly about.”

Artist Kirstin Mackinnon’s acclaimed work has seen her achieve Semi-Finalist status in Sky Arts’ Portrait Artist of the Year and a three-year artist residency with Tighnabruaich Art Gallery. Her work notably focuses on gender equality in contemporary Scottish art.

Kirstin said:“’I am humbled to have been selected to paint such a historically significant commission.

“I recognise and acknowledge the efforts made by the college to promote equal representation for women. It was an honour to work with such inspirational surgeons and to play a part in celebrating their success.”

The commission is being funded by grants from Art Fund and The National Fund for Acquisitions, with generous support from The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Membership and Community. The wider project is being supported by funding from Museums Galleries Scotland.  

The painting is on display in the temporary exhibition A Fair Field and No Favour at Surgeons’ Hall Museum from today – Saturday 5th April 2025 – to March 2026, before being relocated to the public reception atrium of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

For more information, visit: The Anatomy Lab.

Surgeons train for conflict zone aid in landmark course

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh & David Nott Foundation collaborate to address critical shortage of skilled surgical care in disaster zones

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), in partnership with the David Nott Foundation (DNF), has launched an intensive training course designed to equip surgeons with the vital skills needed to save lives in conflict and disaster zones.

Aimed at medical professionals who work in, or are planning to travel to, conflict and catastrophe zones around the world, the first course was held on June 3-7 at RCSEd’s Skills Lab in Edinburgh, with a second scheduled for December 2024.

The Hostile Environment Surgical Training UK (HEST-UK) course brought together UK-based surgeons and those from war-torn regions, including six participants from Ukraine and one from Libya, for a transformative week of intensive training.

The course – which equips surgeons to surgically treat a wide range of traumatic injuries, from head wounds to blast wounds – marks the first successful partnership between RCSEd’s Faculty of Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare (FRRHH) and DNF, aiming to upskill surgeons who aspire to make a difference in the humanitarian space.

Professor Angus Watson, FRRHH Executive Committee Member, who helped facilitate the course, said: “The impact of this course has already been profound, and will save countless lives in future.

“By combining DNF’s expertise with RCSEd’s dedication to professional standards in humanitarian healthcare, this partnership promises to empower medical professionals and add to their skillset and provide crucial care in the most difficult of circumstances.”

The HEST-UK course offers a unique and rigorous training experience, drawing on the extensive frontline expertise of Professor David Nott, Co-Founder of the David Nott Foundation, who has over 30 years of experience in some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones.

Participants are trained in a broad range of trauma care skills, from triage and head wounds to penetrating injuries and obstetric emergencies, preparing them as generalist trauma surgeons ready to provide care in any situation.

Dr. Israar Ul-Haq, a doctor specialising in urgent and pre-hospital care based in West Midlands, near Birmingham, joined a previous HEST-UK course to refine his trauma surgery skills before deploying to Gaza. His experience in Gaza’s crisis zones underscored the real-world impact of the training.

He said: “The course impacted every aspect of my work in Gaza, such as understanding the local environment and the types of injuries we encountered. Techniques like thoracotomy and bleeding control learned during the course became standard procedures in our daily practice.

“Whether it was performing chest drains, managing blast injuries, or treating burns, the training equipped me with the skills I needed.”

The course offers a strong progression from FRRHH’s Introduction to Humanitarian Healthcare Course, launched back in 2021.

Professor Rowan Parks, President of RCSEd, commented: “We are incredibly proud of our partnership with the David Nott Foundation and the tremendous impact of the Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST-UK) course.

“This collaboration represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to support and equip surgeons who are committed to providing life-saving care in the most challenging and austere environments, through innovative and accessible training programmes.”

Elly Nott, Co-Founder of the David Nott Foundation, said: “Wherever there is conflict, there is a need for well-trained doctors to provide safe, skilled surgical care. We are delighted to join forces with the RCSEd to run Hostile Environment Surgical Training-UK, a course dedicated to preparing surgeons for the injuries they encounter and treat in war.

“Our programme is taught by surgeons with decades of experience in conflict and catastrophe zones and informed by our values of compassion, excellence and resilience.”

Leading dental experts raise concerns over £350 MILLION underspend

Professor Grant McIntyre, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, said: “At a time when dentistry is under significant pressure, the details of a £350million underspend, representing 10 per cent of the total dental budget for England, is very concerning.

“This shortfall is undoubtedly directly impacting patients and dental teams nationwide.

“The disparity in underspend across different regions exacerbates an already troubling ‘postcode lottery’ in dental care access. It is evident that the current system is not working for patients or dentists, with some practices receiving unjustifiably little support.

“This will not only compromise patient care but also place undue strain on dental professionals, adding to the existing workforce problems that the profession has endured in recent years.  

“We must rectify the underlying issues, ensuring suitable working arrangements for professionals and fair access to quality NHS dental care for all patients.”

Leading medical college launches ground-breaking surgical hub with NHS Highland

A leading medical college has joined forces with NHS Highland (NHSH) to establish a new Surgical Education Research and Innovation Lab (SERI Lab), marking a significant leap forward in research of surgical education and innovation.

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and NHSH have formed a five-year partnership to co-host the virtual SERI Lab, set to become an internationally renowned hub for Surgical Education Research and Innovation.

Set to launch in the new year, the lab, will be used for healthcare professionals to share and develop new ideas and methods to help surgeons learn and practice.

Professor Rowan Parks, President of RCSEd, said it will allow surgical professionals to research advancements in surgical training technology such as robotics, artificial intelligence and virtual reality, all of which will help to shape the next 30 years of surgical practice.

Professor Parks explained: “The establishment of the SERI Lab is a pivotal moment for surgical education and research, and this new, dynamic hub is set to have far-reaching impact—locally, nationally, and globally.

“The virtual hub will support research fellows who can be geographically based anywhere, with space also being made available in the College or in NHS Highland.

“Most research done in the UK right now is laboratory-based, clinical trials and patient-oriented, but there is relatively little education research.

“We want to be the lead in this area and take forward education-based research and innovation, and that includes training using simulation, robotics and AI based technologies.”

Its launch will be spearheaded by RCSEd Council Member and Consultant Surgeon Professor Angus Watson, and its mission will be to create programmes and tools that can improve surgical training, not only in the UK but around the world.

Professor Watson commented: “This collaborative initiative between RCSEd and NHS Highland demonstrates our commitment to advancing the field and providing cutting-edge training methods for surgeons globally.”

The strategic partnership aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice in surgical education, fostering a community approach and establishing a Fellows’ Boot Camp.

Channelled through RCSEd, the Boot Camp will involve intensive training ‘retreats’ that will allow mentors and selected research fellows to come together and participate in accelerated learning projects.

David Tolley, Past President and Chair of the Pilmuir Trust, which has helped fund the new hub, said: “Over the past 12 years, NHSH has been a key player in developing the SERI Lab, a unique concept among surgical colleges, which will be primarily based in the Highland Academic Surgical Unit (HASU).

“The ground-breaking new SERI Lab will be a place where new ideas flourish, helping to improve patient safety outcomes and ensuring more positive ways for surgical trainees to learn and practice.”

Overseeing the SERI Lab will be two recently appointed RCSEd Chairs, Ken Walker, as Professor of Surgical Education & Innovation, and Jennifer Cleland, as Professor of Surgical Education Research, both recognised as distinguished leaders in the field of education and research.

Speaking of the new appointment, Professor Walker said: “I am honoured to take on this role and contribute to advancing surgical education.

“This collaboration with NHS Highland marks a significant step towards improving training methodologies for surgeons worldwide.”

Professor Jennifer Cleland, Professor and Director of Med Ed Research & Scholarship, also commented: “Collaborating with NHS Highland and RCSEd presents a unique opportunity to influence the future of surgical education, and I am eager to contribute to the success of the SERI Lab.”

The virtual hub has been funded for the next three years, with a long-term vision for groups to help shape policy in how surgical training should be carried in the UK, whether that be developing curriculum, the use of simulation, and other technologies that can be used by the next generation of talented surgeons.

Dr Beth Sage, Director of Research, Development and Innovation for NHS Highland said: “NHS Highland has a successful track record supporting high impact research and innovation, and the launch of the SERI Lab demonstrates our commitment to extending this to advancing UK surgical education, both locally and nationwide.”