The Government has announced the cessation of funding for Training Interface Group (TIG) Fellowships for Cleft Surgeons. These are highly specialist surgical posts and have been pivotal at giving surgeons expertise at the interface with Oral and Maxiofacial Surgery, Plastic Surgery and ENT Surgery, all of which are essential for safe and effective Cleft Care.
The Response from Surgeons
Mr Guy Thorburn, Oxford Spires Consultant Plastic Surgeon and the network chair of The Surgical Clinical Excellence Network of the Craniofacial Society of Great Britain and Ireland said,
“Ending TIG fellowships is a backwards step for cleft surgery. It risks taking us back to the 1980s, before there was a clear, structured and nationally recognised pathway for training cleft surgeons.
“Cleft surgery is complex, sits at the interface of multiple specialities, and cannot be learned properly or safely without dedicated training. Removing TIG without a clear, equivalent replacement puts patient safety, workforce sustainability and long-term outcomes at risk. It risks taking us back to the 1980s, before there was a clear, structured and nationally recognised pathway for training cleft surgeons.
“Given the backlog that exists in Children Surgical waiting lists, having properly trained surgical consultants is vital. They’re able to treat a larger volume of cases with fewer complications, meaning better outcomes and less operations for our patients and helping bring down that waiting list and the cost for the NHS.”
Response from CLAPA
CLAPA have been released a Position Statement in response to the TIG Fellowship withdrawal. They have written to Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP Secretary of State for Health and Social Care for urgent clarity on what is replacing the fellowships, how the Government plans to maintain the governance and safety of Cleft Surgical Training and the long term sustainability of the workforce.
You can see the full article and response at CLAPA