Medical Academic Staff Committee newsletter
June 2008
Please find below an update of the activities of the Medical Academic Staff Committee (MASC). This newsletter includes information on
- Conference of Medical Academic Representatives
- Academic medicine in the NHS: leading innovation and improving healthcare
- 2nd edition of the Good University Employment Guide
- 2008 MASC Annual Report
- House of Lords launch of Women in Academic Medicine final report
- Save the date: 2nd BMA Clinical Academic Training Conference
Conference of Medical Academic Representatives (COMAR)
COMAR took place on Friday 16 May at BMA House, London and was attended by a much higher number of representatives than in previous years. Lively debate followed keynote speeches from Professor Chris McManus on ‘Medical Schools and postgraduate achievement’, Mr Peter Noble on the Academic Performance Management Project and Professor Peter Kopelman on the Integrated Academic Training Pathway.
Other issues debated included Collaborations between the NHS and higher education, system reform in the English NHS and the funding of medical education. A poster competition was also held for the first time with entrants presenting on the theme of ‘Professional and Trade Union issues around Academic Medicine’. The winners Dr J M Findlay and Dr M J Keogh with their entry ‘Education in the Foundation Programme: is the academic conference being sidelined?’
Further information on the conference including the policy which was passed by conference.
Academic medicine in the NHS: leading innovation and improving healthcare
As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the NHS, and a time of significant reform in the NHS and in academic medicine, the MASC feels it is important to highlight why education and research are fundamental to the future success of the NHS. In the paper Academic medicine in the NHS: leading innovation and improving healthcare, we offer suggestions for how to embrace and nurture academic medicine as a means of safeguarding the future of the NHS, through educating the next generation of doctors and translating research into new, affordable therapies which have a direct impact on the quality of NHS care.
A limited number of hard copies are available from the secretariat by contacting info.masc@bma.org.uk
2nd edition of the Good University Employment Guide
We have just published the second edition of the University Employment Good Practice Guide. This new service to clinical academics aims provide a clear guide to the employment environment in UK medical schools. The guide contains information provided by Universities about their staff, students and employment arrangements, in addition to information about good employment practice that Higher Education Institutions wish to be published.
In addition to a “Quick Compare Table” which provides a snapshot as to how universities measure up against each other, you can search for a detailed report on the employment policies in place at your own medical school or Higher Education Institution.
MASC Annual Report
The 2008 Annual Report details the work of the MASC over the past year. It highlights our achievements against strategic areas of focus including Negotiating issues, Academic training and Modernising Medical Careers, NHS reform and career development, the employment and policy handbook for members and communications, regional services and the membership.
A limited number of hard copies are available from the secretariat by contacting info.masc@bma.org.uk
House of Lords launch of Women in Academic Medicine final report
The final ‘Women in Academic Medicine: developing equality in governance and management for career progression’ report was launched at the House of Commons on Wednesday 30 April 2008. The event was chaired by Baroness Finlay of Llandaff. Emeritus Professor Anita Holdcroft, co-chair of the Medical Academic Staff Committee and project leader explained that the report aimed to identify areas of critical career development for medical academic women and solutions for the reasons barring women from reaching the top of their profession.
Other speakers included Professor Parveen Kumar, Immediate Past President of the BMA, Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer, David Noyce of the Higher Education Funding Council (England) and the Rt Hon Theresa May MP.
The MASC is committed to ensuring that the report’s recommendations are taken forward and will be taking steps to encourage stakeholders to take the action outlined in the report.
Save the date: 2nd BMA Clinical Academic Training Conference
Given the overwhelming interest in 2007 event Clinical Academic Training Conference: Progress So Far held at BMA on Saturday 17 November 2007, the MASC will again host a conference on academic training.
The date for this year’s event is Saturday 22 November 2008. If you wish to register early interest in the event and receive more information, email info.masc@bma.org.uk