Motives for the name change may vary.I wanted to drop the A to help change
the attitudes of other health care professionals rather than joe
public-(Andy Thurgood is right - the public will continue to call us
casuality and attend with what they regard as appropriate whatever we call
ourselves).
Dropping the A highlights the major changes going on in many of our
departments: we are increasingly involved in the medical take and run the
medical and surgical admissions unit. In a few years time we would like to
have the primary care co-op on board as well, retaining their autonomy but
sharing our reception and a common entry point. "Emergency Department" is
then an umbrella term for the place where all emergency care is delivered,
and brings us into line with other countries where the specialty is more
advanced.
The cut finger is important, and of course you should be trained in dealing
with minor injuries Andrew- they are still emergencies. Emergency Medicine
does not mean medical emergencies only!
So Jon, to me it is not about reducing the range of patients seen, and
longer term hopefully increasing it. I don't see the name as sexy personally
but I believe the name change helps present a modern dynamic image to other
specialties, some of whom never actually see what we do and still think we
are deskbound consultants doing medical reports, leaving unsupported SHOs to
ask other SHOs for advice.If potential SHOs and trainees see the name as
sexy then we'll get more competition for posts!
Our name change last September was cost-neutral - we changed the name on the
record cards on the next order, our letterheadings are computer generated
and the sign above the door can wait until our rebuild in 2 years time.
As for our professional bodies, I seem to remember the BAEM executive
debated this last year or the year before but declined to change. I suspect
that there is a division based on age: most younger consultants and trainees
want to drop the A, whilst most (with some notable exceptions) older
consultants, and thus most of those politically active (sorry Andrew) are
against. I'm with you Rocky - lets debate it in Belfast.
If you're reading this and are against changing the name of our specialty,
speak up!
Steve Meek
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