Welcome to the website for SAS (Specialty and Associate Specialist) Doctors and Dentists working within the region.

Within this website you will be able to find:

• Contact information on designated SAS Trust Tutors
• Contact information for NHSE SAS Administrative Support
• Links to helpful websites and resources that may be useful for you in your SAS role and for your professional development
• Information relating to the SAS Development Fund from NHSE

What are SAS Doctors and Dentists?

This important group of senior doctors and dentists is comprised of specialty doctors, associate specialists, staff grades, hospital practitioners, clinical assistants, senior clinical medical officers and clinical medical officers. This group of staff is referred to as the Staff, Associate specialists and Specialty doctors (SAS) group. SAS Doctors play an important role in NHS service delivery. In recent years an increasing number of doctors have chosen to become SAS Doctors rather than enter higher specialty training. Due to the evolving demographic of the medical workforce this trend may continue in future years.

SAS Doctors are confident and competent healthcare professionals, delivering clinical services in partnership with medical consultants and other health workers. They make significant contributions to the advancement of medicine and the profession in areas of leadership, education, research and governance. They work in accordance with the requirements of the General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice.

What is NHSE’s role?

We support SAS Doctors and Dentists within the region in their pursuit of Continuing Professional Development.  NHSE is responsible for the management and allocation of educational funding, working collaboratively with the SAS Dean, local SAS Tutors and Local Education Providers (LEPs) to ensure the fund is utilised appropriately.

The development fund for SAS within NHSE is held centrally and managed by the Postgraduate Dean and their team. Funds are received by Trusts annually from NHSE, with the amount calculated according to the number of SAS Doctors/Dentists employed by the Trusts. For detailed information about SAS funding, please click here.

NHSE has established an SAS Tutors Group which has SAS Tutor representation for each local Trust. The group meets four times a year to share information and good practice and to focus on the on-going development of the SAS network regionally.