SAS Doctors
SAS - Specialty and Specialist doctors
Information about SAS Doctors
Welcome from ELFT's SAS Tutor Dr Will Phung
My role, as SAS Tutor is to provide leadership, and guidance within the Medical Education and HR teams, specific to supporting the training and development needs of SAGS Doctors and meeting the SAS Charter. I am a link between the local representatives and The Medical Education /HR Teams and senior management, and also a person to contact for advice and support.
We recognise and value the diversity of experience that SAS grade Drs bring to our medical workforce and want to encourage you to continue to grow and develop in your career and personal development, in line with what is laid out in the SAS Charter, put together by the BMA and Heath Education England in 2014.
The SAS Charter key areas are:
1. Conditions of employment.
2. Revalidation, Appraisal, and job planning.
3. Support.
4. Development (career, training, CESR, CPD)
5. Involvement in management structures.
The Medical Education Team, and Human Resources based at Trust Headquarters, will provide you with information specific to your job prior to starting, a job plan and information about working in your locality. They will also give you information about local and Trust wide teaching that you will have protected time to attend weekly, as part of CPD.
If you are a new employee to ELFT you will also be required to attend a corporate induction and HR will provide you with information regarding this.
Wishing you an enjoyable start in your new post and in joining ELFT, and we look forward to meeting you at one of our Trust Medical Education events.
Welcome from your SAS Advocate Dr Kate Aldersey
The SAS Advocate role was introduced as part of the 2021 SAS contract reform to provide a dedicated point of contact for SAS doctors, promoting their health and wellbeing and helping to challenge existing cultural norms within the workforce. It is intended to enhance visibility, engagement, and support for SAS doctors, ensuring their experiences inform organisational policies and practices.
Key Responsibilities
• Health and Wellbeing Support: Act as a visible contact for SAS doctors regarding health and wellbeing matters, providing guidance and support as needed.
• Policy Feedback and Advocacy: Help SAS doctors understand organisational policies, gather feedback, and communicate insights to senior management to improve workplace practices.
• Collaboration: Work with the Trust Board, Medical Directorate, SAS Tutors, and local committees to ensure consistent approaches to SAS workforce support.
• Cultural Change: Challenge the status quo and promote positive changes in expectations and culture for SAS doctors.
• Professional Development: Support SAS doctors in accessing training, career conversations, and occupational health services, helping to address barriers to professional growth
I am here to help and support you so please make contact with me if you have any issues. I am always happy to raise issues that SAS doctors are facing on your behalf. Please also come along to our regular SAS forum and away days so that we can hear from you. We have a great community of SAS doctors at ELFT and we welcome you to be part of that.
There is a SAS Dr representative in each of the Trust Localities and in certain specialities/areas, and these are currently:
• Tower Hamlets: Dr Shrabanti Koley
• City and Hackney: currently vacant
• Newham: Dr Ishita Bhasin
• Bedfordshire and Luton: Dr Zhwar Al-Jarrah
• Luton LNC: currently vacant
• LNC SAS Rep: Vincenzo Giordano
• IMG Rep: Dr Irum Siddique
• SIM Rep: Dr Vishi Sachdeva
• Forensics Rep: Dr Nargiza Saidova
The Trust Joint Local Negotiating Committee, with representatives from all Grades of the Medical workforce meets - with BMA support - to address issues around terms and conditions of contract, employment and workplace based issues and to raise issues with the Trust Board.
The Trust has a SAS doctor Steering Group which meets regularly to discuss progress against the SAS Charter and more recently the #SASSix principles. The group also discuss education and development opportunities for SAS doctors including making decisions on how money awarded by Health Education England should be spent, to benefit SAS doctors across the Trust.
Mentoring is great for helping to learn new skills or enhance current skills, maximising personal and professional potential while also contributing to increased confidence, heightened self-awareness, greater wellbeing and improvements in productivity.
ELFT encourages coaching and mentoring for all staff.
Medical Mentoring can be accessed via https://elft.onpld.com/
Revalidation is the process by which the GMC is assured by a Trust of a doctor’s fitness to practice, this will occur every 5 years. ELFT ensure that all GPs, Consultants and SAS doctors are considered for revalidation. Trainees have a separate revalidation process.
Annual appraisal is the mechanism of Revalidation. A doctor reaching their revalidation date must have demonstrated the following:
- Engagement with the process of annual appraisal
- Appraisal coves the whole scope practice
- Received satisfactory feedback from colleagues and patients
- Engagement in continuing professional development and quality improvement activity
- Awareness of serious incidents and complaints in which they has been named, and has learned from them
Please contact Colin.Lovett@nhs.net, Medical Appraisal and Revalidation Manager.
- To register for a SARD account
- To register for a 360 feedback
- To complete the mandatory Non-ELFT Work Form for your Revalidation, (SARD, Section 12 of your portfolio), please download, complete and sign the Non-ELFT Work Form (found on the internal medical staffing page) and return
Note that Appraisals have to be submitted to the Responsible Officer within 28 days of the Appraisal meeting otherwise the Appraisal is deemed invalid.
Below are links to further resources and information, relevant to working as a SAS Dr in the NHS.
Locality Handbooks - can be accessed via our Resources section for internal staff
Supervision Guidelines - can be accessed via our Resources section for internal staff
Royal College of Psychiatrists Specialty Drs Section
The SAS Charter HEE and BMA 2014
The SAS Development Guide – NHS employers 2017
Startwell & Staywell Framework
Please find below courses 2026 -
Date |
Course name |
Session |
Timings |
Registration Link |
| 16-17 June | Advanced communication skills master class 2 days | Virtual | 9:30-15:30 | Click here |
| 13th July | Managing stress and boosting mental health | Virtual | 9:30-12:30 | Click here |
| 11th September | Optimise your job plan | Virtual | 9:30-12:30 | Click here |
| 15th October | Maximising your appraisal SAS and IMG | Virtual | 9:30-12:30 | Click here |
| 12th Nov | Unlocking the Value of Reflective Practice | Virtual | 9:30-12:30 | Click here |
| 3rd Dec | Beating burnout | Virtual | 9:30-12:30 | Click here |
Coming Soon
SAS doctors (specialist, associate specialist and specialty doctors) are experienced doctors in permanent posts. There are two current SAS contracts available. Specialty doctors have at least four years of full-time postgraduate experience, two of which have been in their relevant specialty. Specialists have at least twelve years postgraduate experience, six of which have been in their relevant specialty. Specialists work independently within their clinical areas.
Please see the links below for more information:
If interested in the portfolio pathway, please email SAS tutor once you have read the information and have an idea of how to proceed.
The SAS CPD programme runs portfolio pathway sessions twice a year - please sign up and attend if interested.
Please see the following links for information -