Specialist and Associate Specialist (SAS) Awareness Week

Date: 17 October 2024

Leele SAS 2 24

SAS doctors (specialist, associate specialist and specialty doctors) are experienced and senior doctors in permanent posts. They have at least four years of full-time postgraduate training, two of which have been in their relevant specialty. To mark SAS Week, we spoke to Dr Leela Reddy... 

I am an Associate Specialist in Rehabilitation Medicine and SAS Tutor/Lead at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust. As a senior clinician, I have both clinical responsibilities and other non-clinical roles.

I work autonomously and also work in teams to improve patient care.

The Walton Centre has provided me with different opportunities both in clinical and non-clinical roles. I am a member in the Clinical Audit Group, Medical Education Group and SAS Doctors representative in our Local Negotiating Team. As a representative of this group of clinicians in our Local Negotiating Team, I work to address educational needs, career progression and liaise with the NHS England North West team to support SAS Doctors.

Our Cheshire and Merseyside Rehabilitation Network (CMRN) values my input and gives me opportunities to work with clinical management groups and operational committee teams.

I am an educator and trainer in my role too. I am an Audit Lead in our department, and I am actively involved in research at The Walton Centre. As an SAS Tutor/Lead, I have helped to arrange several courses for SAS Doctors and Locally Employed Doctors in The Walton Centre, through the NHS England SAS development fund to improve their educational needs and develop in their career paths.

The Walton Centre has supported me in all these opportunities to develop leadership and education skills, which in turn benefits patient care. I am proud to be an SAS Doctor, and grateful to my colleagues, our department and all the teams that support and recognise my clinical and leadership roles. I hope we will see more success stories with the support of the entire team in The Walton Centre.

  • Summary:

    To mark Associate Specialist and Specialist (SAS) Doctors this week, we spoke to Dr Leela Reddy, Associate Specialist in Rehabilitation Medicine