On Our Mind
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides integrated healthcare services including intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire.
Our On Our Minds blog shares lived experiences from colleagues at the Trust and patients who use or have used our services on a variety of topics from a wide range of services.
SAS in extended roles and SAS development
Today’s SAS Week theme is SAS in extended roles and SAS development. Dr Hardev Bhogal shares his valuable insights on these topics, emphasising the need for SAS doctors to embrace new challenges and seize opportunities. He encourages them to pursue leadership roles and further their educational journeys.
For me, being a SAS doctor is having autonomy regarding my development. I have always believed that education, regardless of your role or career trajectory, is paramount. Having left a training programme, I wrongly assumed my education journey would be over. I was delighted to find this was far from the truth. I found a welcoming and exciting community willing to share ideas and learn. I gained confidence in myself and started to believe I could achieve my goals.
Whilst working as a Specialty doctor, I have completed the psychotherapy competencies required to sit the CASC and gained membership to the Royal College of Psychiatrists. I have broadened my knowledge in medical education seeking out development opportunities in this area and I am now a Clinical Teaching Associate. My role includes organising and supporting the medical students placed in Bassetlaw for their psychiatry placement as well as teaching in Sheffield. I have been fortunate enough to become the SAS Tutor, a role that supports the educational aspirations of my SAS colleagues.
Becoming an SAS doctor has given me stability and control in how I choose to develop myself. It has allowed me to follow patients through their entire journey and provide a continuity of care. Staying in the same role for an extended period of time allowed me to deepen my knowledge. My current role is locum consultant for Mansfield LMHT. I am currently working towards my Approved Clinician status and hope to have this at the start of 2025. After this, I will move on to the Portfolio Pathway (CESR) hoping to complete this before 2027. The support of more senior SAS doctors and consultant colleagues has inspired me to continue to progress and develop. I have been able to forge good working relationships with professionals from all backgrounds and I have made many friends. I feel the SAS career is as good a prospect as any other medical progression pathway. If anyone wished to speak to me further about SAS as a career, I would be more than happy for you to get in touch.
Additionally, Dr Bhogal has shared his perspectives with us through a video which you can view below:
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