Position Statements
Physician Associate Position Statement
Updated December 2024 The Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) is a proudly multidisciplinary organisation with members from several different professional backgrounds. We aim to support them all to deliver the highest standards of care for acutely unwell adult medical patients. In several Acute Medical Units, Physician Associates (PAs) have become established team members helping to…
Read MoreSecretary of State comments about patient safety and winter plans “concerning” says SAM past president (09 December)
Commenting today (09 December) on health and social care secretary Wes Streeting’s urgent talks with NHS leaders in England about how the service will cope this winter, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “It is concerning that the Secretary of State feels it reasonable to reiterate the need…
Read More‘Govt must recognise there will be no elective recovery without emergency care recovery’ – SAM past president (05 December)
Commenting today (05 December) on the Prime Minister’s speech outlining priorities for the NHS and NHS England’s warning about winter pressures, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “Pressures throughout the system are perfectly and bleakly illustrated in urgent and emergency care where patients experience appalling conditions and prolonged…
Read More‘Concern about continued emergency care crisis is well placed’ – SAM past president (02 December)
Commenting on Labour’s plan to commit to the restoration of the 92% referral to treatment (RTT) target by March 2029, as reported in The Times today (02 December), Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The concern that urgent and emergency care will experience a continued crisis is well placed. “The…
Read More‘Assisted dying debate brings into focus another area where resourcing is inadequate’ – SAM past president (1 December)
Commenting today (1 December) on the implications assisted dying will have on the NHS and the announcement of the launch of a palliative care commission, Dr Tim Cooksley, immediate past president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The assisted dying debate brings into focus another area in the NHS and social care where resourcing…
Read MoreReduced flu vaccine uptake among healthcare staff and older people “worrying” says SAM president (30 November)
Commenting in The Sunday Telegraph on the reduced uptake in flu vaccinations among healthcare staff and older people, Dr Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The apparent reduced uptake in the vaccine for influenza amongst both health care professionals and at risk individuals is somewhat worrying. “It may suggest an element…
Read More‘Urgent and emergency care survey lays bare scale of the challenge’ – SAM president (21 November)
Commenting on findings from a Care Quality Commission survey of more than 45,500 people who used NHS urgent and emergency care (UEC) services in 2024, Dr Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The fact two-thirds of patients reported waiting more than four hours and subsequently had worse than average experiences in all…
Read More‘Staff heading into the coming months with trepidation and concern’ – SAM president (18 November)
Commenting on a report released today (18 November) by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine which found nine out of 10 UK A&E clinicians said they aren’t confident that their departments will cope well this winter and 94% think that patients are being put at risk due to the pressures currently being experienced, Dr Nick…
Read More‘Data shows desperate need for government to turn attention to threat of winter’ says SAM president-elect (14 November)
Commenting on the latest NHS performance data released today (14 November), Dr Vicky Price, president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This data shows there is a desperate need for the government to turn its attention to the threat of winter and the actions it needs to take to reduce the impact of the…
Read More‘Government league table reforms could have significant detrimental effect’ – SAM president (13 November)
Commenting on an announcement by the Department of Health and Social Care about the introduction of a new league table of NHS providers among other reforms being outlined today (13 November), Dr Nick Murch, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “The NHS continues to find itself in an eternal crisis with no light…
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