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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 24/09/2026

We are always absolutely delighted when another trust decides to adopt the #SASsix in their approach to their workforce. Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust joins multiple other Trusts in wanting to support their doctors to be all they can be. We salute you!

The SAS six implementing trusts, now including NHFT.

As the Polar Bear says "This could be you too!"

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 22/03/2026

Fantastic to see an MP talking to SAS doctors about the issues we face. Our #SASsix campaign aims to lift the recognition of our bit of the workforce, support doctors to progress their careers, and achieve our potential as leaders and educators. Find out more here: www.sascollective.com/sassix

The SAS six campaign infographic, featuring a summary of the campaign asks:

1. Every early career SAS doctor should have access to an educational supervisor.

2. All SAS doctors should have equity of access to professional development opportunities relevant to their stage of career.

3. All specialty doctors who meet the required capabilities should have the opportunity to become specialists.

4. Senior SAS doctors should be offered the opportunity to be educators at every level on a par with consultants e.g. educational supervisors, clinical supervisors, directors of medical education.

5. All extended roles in leadership and management should be open to all substantive medical staff that is, consultants and appropriately experienced SAS doctors.

6. All LEDs employed for more than two years within one NHS employer should be offered the opportunity to transfer to the appropriate SAS contract.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 26/02/2026

The @fmlm-uk.bsky.social are the most recent organisation to publicly support the #SASsix campaign, because our aims align with theirs. Leadership matters a great deal. The SAS Collective remains very grateful for that support, and for inviting us to take part in today's event.

The SAS six campaign, including "all extended roles in leadership and management should be open to SAS doctors".

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 11/02/2026

It is always a great day when we get to add another Trust to our slide. Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust have added implementation of the #SASsix to their medical EDI policy, which launched today. Bravo!

SAS six - implementing trusts.

A slide with the Trusts who have adopted the SAS six, with a polar bear mascot pointing to the viewer saying "this could be you too!"

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 11/02/2026

We are really pleased to see Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust launch their Medic EDI Charter today. They use the #SASsix in their approach, because issues affecting SAS and locally-employed doctors are EDI and workforce issues. Excellent work! www.lscft.nhs.uk/diversity-an...

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust - Medic Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Charter.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 27/01/2026

Leicester Partnership NHS Trust become the twelfth Trust we have been able to add to this slide, after their pledge today to use the SAS six in their approach to their workforce. Could your Trust be next? Get in touch! www.leicspart.nhs.uk/news/our-sas...

A slide showing the 12 Trusts to have implemented, or publically pledged to implement, the SAS six in their approach to their workforce.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 22/01/2026

In recent months many new organisations have decided to support or endorse the #SASsix campaign. Most recent was @bashhuk.bsky.social, who did so yesterday. Like us, these organisations believe that supporting every doctor to achieve their potential is right for the workforce. Could you be next?

SAS six - national support.

Slide showing the 18 organisations who have publicly supported or endorsed the SAS six campaign. This list includes multiple medical royal colleges, other membership organisations and associations, and organisations representing medical education, leadership and people specialists.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 22/11/2025

7/ Today's service must not come at the cost of tomorrow's. We believe this is the single biggest workforce issue of the day. The #SASsix campaign is based around appropriate contract use, support for professional development, and the opportunity for senior doctors to become leaders and educators.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 22/11/2025

2/ The new General Medical Council workforce report once again illustrates that the most rapidly rising cohort in the medical workforce are locally-employed doctors. This year is also looks at their contract duration, and finds that the majority in this group are on short-term contracts.

Table from the GMC workforce report demonstrating that unlike SAS doctors, who are employed on substantive permanent contracts, the majority of locally-employed doctors are employed on short-term contracts, without permanence or job security.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 22/11/2025

1/ The medical workforce and the #SASsix, a Saturday morning thread... The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted two related publications relating to workforce this week. Taken together, they paint a stark picture of the current medical workforce.

Graph from the 2025 GMC workforce report, showing 10 year trends in professional groups. The number of locally-employed doctors, on non-standard, non-national and usually non-permanent contracts has increased fourfold in a decade. LEDs now outnumber SAS doctors, on nationally-negotiated contracts, roughly 3.5:1.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 14/11/2025

We love it when organisations decide to support our campaign. We can't do anything without the support of our allies. You are vital. Thanks to FFLM for your support. You are brilliant! #SASsix

SAS six - national support, now also including FFLM.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 14/11/2025

We are always thrilled when another organisation comes on board and supports our campaign. Thanks to DAUK for your kind words about the campaign, and for raising awareness with your platform. We like you, too! open.substack.com/pub/dauk/p/h... #SASsix

SAS six - national support, now including DAUK.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 01/11/2025

We are taking part in a SAS webinar hosted by @medicalprotection.bsky.social on Thursday. See some of you folks there, hopefully! #SASsix

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 08/10/2025

Today is day 3 of #SASweek25, focused around SAS development AND SAS doctors undertaking extended roles. These things form a big chunk of the #SASsix. We consider it self-evident that a career that is limited, is potential being wasted. We can't have that!

SAS six infographic, including asks about educational supervision and development opportunity for SAS doctors, AND the opportunity for SAS doctors to become leaders and educators.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 08/10/2025

We are absolutely ecstatic that as part of their #SASweek25 celebrations, the @rcpsych.bsky.social have decided to become the sixth college support the #SASsix campaign. We love it! They have announced this on X, hopefully they will do so here too in due course. Bravo, psychiatry!

The SAS six national support slide, now including RCPysch!

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 07/10/2025

We are thrilled whenever a new Trust wishes to use the #SASsix in their approach to their medical workforce. Every doctor needs support to progress their career, opportunity to reach their potential, and the right contract for their work. Bravo, NHS West London. Welcome to the family! #SASweek25

The logos of the 11 Trusts who have now formally adopted the SAS six, including NHS West London.

The SAS Collective polar bear mascot points to the viewer and says "this could be you!"

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 07/10/2025

Day 2 of #SASweek25 is focused around the Specialist role. The Specialist contract, for senior, experienced and autonomous colleagues, should be an attainable goal in a SAS career. We made it part of the #SASsix, because opportunity for progression matters a great deal.

The SAS six infographic, including:

"All Specialty Doctors who meet the specifications should have the opportunity to become Specialists".

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 03/10/2025

RCOG becomes the fifth medical Royal College to support the #SASsix campaign, alongside our other allies. We remain incredibly grateful to everyone who adds their help to our cause, and their logo to our slide of supporters. We couldn't do what we do without you!

SAS six - national support, including:

HCSA
Medical Protection
Royal College of Physicians
Association of Anaesthetists
Medical Womens Federation
Royal College of Anaesthetists
Royal College of Ophthalmologists
National Association of Medical People Specialists
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Intensive Care Society
General Medical Council
Med Ed Leaders UK
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 23/06/2025

The Royal College of Ophthalmology today join three other Royal Colleges in backing the #SASsix campaign. We appreciate every organisation that does this. You are brilliant. The SAS six is a roadmap for doctors outside of rotational training to achieve their potential, and this benefits everyone.

SAS six - national support, including:

HCSA
Medical Protection
RCP
Association of Anaesthetists
Medical Women's Federation
RCOA
Med Ed Leaders UK
Intensive Care Society
RCPCH
National Association of Medical People Specialists
RCOphth (new today!)

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 08/06/2025

Why does the #SASsix campaign matter, you ask? We believe that every doctor should have the right contract for their work, the opportunity to progress their career, and the opportunity to become a leader and an educator. Many SAS and locally-employed doctors currently have none of these things.

SAS six prompt card.

More details can be found here:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/supporting-reality-match-rhetoric-introducing-sas-six

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 01/06/2025

We loved being part of this! Thanks again to @peterprinsleymp.bsky.social and @assocanaes.bsky.social for inviting us to their parliamentary event. SAS doctors make a huge contribution to the medical workforce, and our careers matter to services and patients as much as they matter to us. #SASsix

SAS six prompt card.

For more, read our NHS employers blog:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/supporting-reality-match-rhetoric-introducing-sas-six

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 31/05/2025

The #SASsix campaign provides a road map for doctors to achieve their potential. None of these ideas is new, and they are each happening somewhere, but rarely all at once. We would like to make them normal.

The SAS six campaign "asks".

Every early career SAS doctor should have access to an educational supervisor.

All SAS doctors should have equity of access to professional development opportunities relevant to their stage of career.

All specialty doctors who meet the required capabilities should have the opportunity to become specialists.

Senior SAS doctors should be offered the opportunity to be educators at every level on a par with consultants e.g. educational supervisors, clinical supervisors, directors of medical education.

All extended roles in leadership and management should be open to all substantive medical staff that is, consultants and appropriately experienced SAS doctors.

All LEDs employed for more than two years within one NHS employer should be offered the opportunity to transfer to the appropriate SAS contract.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 31/05/2025

We are incredibly grateful to our friends and allies. Each of these organisations has issued statements of support for the #SASsix campaign. What we have in common is a belief that supporting every doctor to reach their potential is good for services and patients, as well as these doctors.

The SAS six campaign national support, including the RCP, RCOA, RCPCH, Association of Anaesthetists, HCSA, Medical Protection, the GMC, the Intensive Care Society, the Medical Women's Federation, and now the National Association of Medical People Specialists.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 30/05/2025

We LOVE being able to add new folks to this slide. We can only achieve anything with friends and allies, and we are incredibly grateful to all of you. You are wonderful. #SASsix

SAS six, national support, now including NAMPS.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 30/05/2025

Delighted that the National Association of Medical People Specialists (NAMPS) have decided to endorse the #SASsix campaign. They have just announced on another platform. More than perhaps any other group of colleagues, medical HR professionals can make a tangible difference to SAS careers. Bravo!

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 28/05/2025

Alongside these three Royal Colleges, we are also hugely grateful for the ongoing support of the HCSA, Medical Protection, @gmcuk.bsky.social, @assocanaes.bsky.social, @ics-updates.bsky.social, @mededleaders.bsky.social and @medicalwomenuk.bsky.social. If you want to join these names, get in touch.

SAS six - national support

HCSA, Medical Protection, RCP, Association of Anaesthetists, MWF, RCOA, Med Ed Leaders UK, GMC, ICS and RCPCH.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 24/05/2025

We are always very pleased when we can add another logo to this slide. These Trusts appreciate the need to support and develop their SAS and locally-employed doctors. This means more colleagues today, and more senior doctors tomorrow. This is the workforce solution you are looking for! #SASsix

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 24/05/2025

Delighted that another Trust have decided to announce their support of the #SASsix! Croydon Health Services NHS Trust don't have a Blue Sky presence, but have announced this on other platforms. We believe these things could make a huge difference to a lot of careers.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 21/05/2025

We were honoured and delighted to be invited to this @assocanaes.bsky.social parliamentary event, about the importance of SAS doctors in the workforce. The #SASsix is a roadmap for making SAS careers all they can be, supporting doctors at all career stages to achieve their potential.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 20/05/2025

Professor Read embodies many of the #SASsix, as a leader, an educator and a Specialist. Supporting diverse routes for a career allows more doctors to achieve their potential. We all benefit from doing this.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 19/05/2025

We are delighted that @ics-updates.bsky.social have chosen to endorse the #SASsix, joining these other splendid organisations. We think that if everyone understood the importance of these things, and how much potential the medical workforce is currently losing out on, we might change the world!

SAS six - national support:

HCSA
Medical Protection
RCP
Association of Anaesthetists
Medical Women's Federation
RCOA
Med Ed Leaders UK
GMC
Intensive Career Society

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 21/04/2025

The #SASsix has now been adopted by multiple employers, as a route to support their doctors to progress in their careers. If you want to join them, and be seen in your region as a supportive place to work, get in touch. We would love to help you.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 21/04/2025

What is the #SASsix, we hear you ask? It is the right contract for the work done, support to develop your career, and the opportunity for all senior doctors to become leaders and educators. It supports doctors to achieve their potential, regardless of their career route. Help us make this normal.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 15/03/2025

We are absolutely delighted to announce that Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have decided to adopt the #SASsix in their approach to their medical workforce going forwards. Welcome aboard! www.sfh-tr.nhs.uk/work-for-us/

SAS six - implementing trusts, including Northumbria, BHRUT, Lewisham and Greenwhich, Bolton, Portsmouth, Isle of Weight, NELFT, Nottinghamshire healthcare, and Sherwood Forest Hospitals.

The SAS six:

- Every early career SAS doctor should have access to an educational supervisor.

- All SAS doctors should have equity of access to professional development opportunities relevant to their stage of career.

- All specialty doctors who meet the required capabilities should have the opportunity to become specialists.

- Senior SAS doctors should be offered the opportunity to be educators at every level on a par with consultants e.g. educational supervisors, clinical supervisors, directors of medical education.

- All extended roles in leadership and management should be open to all substantive medical staff i.e.consultants and appropriately experienced SAS doctors.

- All LEDs employed for more than two years within one NHS employer should be offered the opportunity to transfer to the appropriate SAS contract.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 30/01/2025

What is the #SASsix? The SAS six is a campaign, designed around the idea that every doctor needs support to develop, the right contract for the work done, and the opportunity to achieve their potential as leaders and educators. The NHS is in crisis, and this IS one of the solutions.

The SAS six infographic, describing the six asks.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 21/01/2025

We are delighted that Nottinghamshire Healthcare have decided to join our campaign and support the #SASsix in their organisation! They join multiple other Trusts across the country doing so, improving careers and retention of doctors in the NHS. www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/latest-news/...

A slide illustrating the Trusts who have announced their intention to implement the SAS six.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 18/01/2025

We are incredibly grateful for the support of these organisations. They are allies in our campaign to make the careers of doctors better, and we couldn't have gotten this far without them. If YOUR organisation wants to join our campaign, get in touch. We can accomplish a lot together! #SASsix

SAS six - national support, including the HCSA, Medical Protection, the Royal College of Physicians, the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the Association of Anaesthetists, the Medical Women's Federation, Med Ed Leaders UK, the GMC.

The "SAS six" campaign infographic, based around the right contract for the work done, support to develop your career and the opportunity to realise your potential as a leader and an educator.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 13/01/2025

Had a fabulous meeting of the SAS Collective tonight, talking about how we can support the Trusts that have signed up to implement the change. The #SASsix is about meaningful action to further the careers of doctors. It makes sense to do this.

Graphic of the Trusts who have announced their intent to implement the SAS six.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 31/12/2024

It has been fun but daunting, starting our from scratch on a new platform. Thanks to everyone who followed us and engaged with us on here in 2024! We hope you have a great 2025, and remember, a SAS doctor is for life, not just for Christmas (or New Year, or pancake day)! #SASsix #MedSky #SASsky

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 28/11/2024

If anyone is wondering what a career outside of formal training is supposed to look like in 2024, it is supposed to look like this. These are the national contracts negotiated for doctors in this position, and this is what the national rhetoric describes. We need to make this viable. #SASsix

The SAS Collective's "alternative career pathways" slide, featuring progression from the Specialty Doctor role, including:

- Extending your role beyond the clinical.
- Becoming a Specialist by achieving the requirements of the generic capabilities framework for the role.
- Becoming a Consultant by the portfolio pathway, or (re-)entering a formal training programme.

Alternative career pathways need parity of esteem, especially in light of today's GMC workforce report.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 28/11/2024

We echo @medicalprotection.bsky.social's viewpoint on the new GMC workforce report. They say: "Medical Protection backs the SAS Collective’s calls to supporting these doctors by providing better access to training opportunities and career progression." Here is how: #SASsix

The SAS six infographic, designed around the right contract for the work done, support for professional development, and realising SAS potential as leaders and educators.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 24/11/2024

We agree completely. The #SASsix is an initiative designed to ensure SAS doctors have the support to achieve their potential. Part of this is using the Specialist contract, to allow doctors to have their expertise in their specialist interest recognised.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 23/11/2024

What is the #SASsix, you ask? Great question! The #SASsix is a campaign, based on the premise that no doctor in the NHS should have a career defined by their badge. Every doctor should have the opportunity to achieve their potential as senior independent doctors, leaders and educators. #Medsky

The SAS six infographic, detailing the six asks. These are focussed around professional development, the right contract for the work done, and recognising SAS potential as leaders and educators.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 20/11/2024

Thanks everyone for helping us get to our first 500 followers. Thank you for helping us build momentum for our collective movement. Together we can change the world! #SASsix

SAS Collective bluesky account, showing 500 followers.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 20/11/2024

3/ There is more than one way for a doctor to have a career. Supporting all routes would give us more as well as giving people choice over their careers. Every year more people need these routes to be viable. We can make it happen, together.

The alternative career pathways slide, which covers SAS contracts and the portfolio pathway to the specialist register. These routes need "parity of esteem".

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 20/11/2024

2/ It also recognises the need to support the careers of doctors who choose or find themselves outside of rotational training programmes: "...improve development opportunities and recognition of SAS doctors and address the causes of poor retention." The latter is what the #SASsix is all about.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 20/11/2024

1/ Today saw @rcoanews.bsky.social launch their workforce report. It recognises the need to support resident doctors: "To address these problems, the Government and NHS leaders must develop national plans for specialty training, increase the number of funded anaesthetic training places..."

The Anaesthetic Workforce: UK State of the Nation Report 2024.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 20/11/2024

The #SASsix is a grass roots initiative, by SAS doctors for SAS doctors. The SAS Collective is a group of SAS doctors and allies, looking create real change, and improve the careers of doctors in the NHS. You can read more about all of this here: www.nhsemployers.org/articles/sup...

SAS six infographic.

The #SASsix policy calls are:

Every early career SAS doctor should have access to an educational supervisor.

All SAS doctors should have equity of access to professional development opportunities relevant to their stage of career.

All specialty doctors who meet the required capabilities should have the opportunity to become specialists.

Senior SAS doctors should be offered the opportunity to be educators at every level on a par with consultants e.g. educational supervisors, clinical supervisors, directors of medical education.

All extended roles in leadership and management should be open to all substantive medical staff that is, consultants and appropriately experienced SAS doctors.

All LEDs employed for more than two years within one NHS employer should be offered the opportunity to transfer to the appropriate SAS contract.

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 20/11/2024

We were delighted to recently add another Trust to the group who have decided to implement the #SASsix. Welcome to the team, Bolton NHS Foundation Trust. We are very glad to know you. If your organisation is looking to maximise the potential of its medical workforce, get in touch!

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The SAS Collective @sascollective.com · 20/11/2024

Lothian could join the trusts who have already declared they are adopting the #SASsix, if they wished to. There are quite a few now, and we are delighted every time some does so.

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