The Operating Theatre journal April 2021

Over 100 UK medical professionals registered
for the free COVID-19 courses through
Incision Academy
Incision Academy is a fast-growing surgical e-learning platform from
Amsterdam, accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Today (17.3.21), Incision announced they have welcomed medical
professionals from more than 100 British medical institutions to their surgical
learning platform, as a result of their recent entry in the UK market. With
the aim to uphold the relevancy of their platform, the surgical e-learning
platform has granted free
access to their essential COVID-19 learning modules. Research among Dutch
theatre nurses showed that 78% do not feel well-informed about what is
expected from them in a COVID-19 ward. A shocking 71% says they lack the
skills to support.
The high completion rate for Incision’s online COVID-19 courses suggests
that there is a need to prepare for the COVID-19 ward. The most popular
course is Intramuscular injection, with over 13,000 certificates granted.
“We are really proud that we can contribute in the shared battle to fight
the virus” says Kim Taylor, Marketing Director at Incision. “We welcome all
medical professionals from the UK to complete the COVID-19 courses for
free”
This news comes in the wake of many recent initiatives and accomplishments
of the company, including:
• Becoming the first online learning platform to receive the Surgical Centre
Accreditation from the Royal College of Surgeons in England
• Achieving the milestone of 500 surgical e-learning courses on the Incision
Academy for medical students, residents, nurse anaesthetists, and
theatre nurses.
“Sharing medical skills resonates even more in turbulent times like these.
It’s great to see so many grateful responses coming in” says Ritsaart van
Montfrans, CEO at Incision.
The COVID-19 learning modules from the surgical learning platform can be
accessed for free by registering: http://bit.ly/OTJIncision
NHS contact centre wins Gold award at
prestigious European awards
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) contact centre has bagged
the Gold award for Contact Centre of the Year at European awards.
Last night (Tuesday 16 March 2021) NHS Business Services Authority
(NHSBSA) won the award at the European Contact Centre and Customer
Service Awards 2020 Virtual Awards Evening.
Over 2,000 people attended the virtual ceremony which is Europe’s most
prestigious awards programme in the industry.
The awards are celebrating their 20th anniversary as the most recognised
customer contact awards in Europe. There were over 1000 nominations from
over 30 different countries this year.
NHSBSA’s Head of Customer Operations, Dan Britton, said: “Immensely proud
of my amazing colleagues for the pride, passion and commitment over many
years but especially so in the last 12 months, supporting one another and
the UK’s response to the pandemic through a variety of important services.
I’m sure many lives have been saved and positive differences made by the
valuable contribution of our people.”
Brendan Brown, Director of Citizen Services at NHSBSA, commented: “To win
at these awards is no easy feat, our talented customer service professionals
can rightly take pride in being part of the very best call centre in Europe,
so we are incredibly proud of this achievement and how we support the
wider NHS.”
For more details on the awards visit: https://www.ecccsa.com
BAOMS President welcomes RCSEng independent
review into diversity and inclusion and reveals
how the specialty is facing the challenges
British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) President
Austen Smith has welcomed the Royal College of Surgeons of England
(RCSEng) independent review into diversity and inclusion, conducted by
Dame Helena Kennedy QC. He writes:
Given the impact of the RCSEng holding themselves up to a strong light
in their report An independent review on diversity and inclusion for
the Royal College of Surgeons of England: An exciting call for radical
change, it is clear that surgical disciplines in the UK owe it to present
and future colleagues to squeeze out any unfairness or unacceptable
labelling.
“As President of the British Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons
I am proud of what has already been achieved within our surgical
specialty.
“From the initiation of the Inclusion, Equity and Diversity policy by my
predecessor Sat Parmar in 2019, BAOMS has actively pursued a policy
of cultivating an atmosphere that recognises and acknowledges the
differences between individuals, without judgement.
“This has already resulted in the most diverse membership of BAOMS
Council, which steers and guides our association. Half of Council
members, for example, are women and from a range of different
backgrounds.
We have a publicly exhibited gallery on our website that illustrates the
wide variety of origins, backgrounds, cultures and standpoints from
junior doctors up to senior figures in the specialty.
“In 2023 our President will be Miss Daljit Kaur Dhariwal, our second
female President who is of British Asian/Indian origin. Her Presidency
will be clear proof that it is possible to have a satisfying family life, and
still achieve pre-eminence in the demanding world of clinical surgery
and medical politics.
“Council member Kanwalraj Moar, Cleft Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon and
Divisional Director for Women’s and Children’s Services at Addenbrookes
Hospital, has taken the BAOMS Diversity Lead portfolio. Her role is
to monitor our diversity and inclusion activities, communicate our
achievements and advise where we need to do better. In addition, she
is a founding member and Honorary Secretary for the Society of Women
in Maxillofacial Surgery (SWiMS), an independent Society that in healthy
collaboration with BAOMS represents the interests and mutual opinions
of female surgeons active in our speciality.
“Oral and maxillofacial surgery is rich with a diversity of skills,
characteristics and attributes that creates a vitality and strength. I
believe that the diversity of our members and leaders is an amazing
positive benefit to OMFS. And I hope those who gravitate to OMFS will
feel and be both supported and protected as they pursue their career
aspirations.
“But, is BAOMS doing enough? Clearly, we cannot be complacent, and
there are ingrained issues that will need to be aired and dealt with.
The RCSEng report gives us a topic-by-topic menu for addressing unfair,
biased or discriminatory issues. We must be positive and constructive in
parallel, and continue to extend our present solid achievements to the
credit of oral and maxillofacial surgery practice in the UK.”
• An independent review on diversity and inclusion for the Royal
College of Surgeons of England: An exciting call for radical change
https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/about-the-rcs/about-our-mission/
diversity-review-2021/
The next issue copy deadline, Monday 26th April 2021
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