More than 260 Irish surgeons will attend the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) annual Millin symposium today to discuss issues of healthcare reform and their impact on the education and training of surgeons and their practice in Ireland. The symposium will address the development of hospital networks, trauma care and the new training model for surgical trainees in Ireland.

Professor Patrick Broe, RCSI President and Consultant Surgeon, said: "The development of hospital networks, the creation of an integrated trauma care programme and the retention of our surgical workforce in Ireland are vital to the future provision of healthcare in Ireland. The networks provide an ideal opportunity to introduce a new approach to how surgery is organised throughout the regions to ensure patients get access to the appropriate service in the appropriate setting."

In 2013 in response to feedback, RCSI shortened the duration of surgical training in Ireland. "As a training body, RCSI needs to address the challenges facing us by making surgery a more attractive career to medical graduates. Modernising surgical education and training and developing surgical practice with appropriate resources and opportunities are vital factors in ensuring a quality workforce which we can hopefully retain in Ireland," Professor Broe continued.

One session of the Millin symposium will discuss ‘Integrated Care in Trauma' with contributions from general surgery, orthopaedics and emergency medicine. The session will also discuss the need to develop a major trauma audit in Ireland.

Professor Broe said "The often complex problems of the trauma patient present many challenges to front line emergency staff. Although deaths from road traffic accidents in Ireland, are decreasing there are still too many. There is a need for an integrated co-ordinated trauma care system to be put in place to deliver high quality care and to assess outcomes. The highlight of that session will be a Keynote Address entitled, 'The posterior wall acetabular fracture: enigma or just another intra-articular injury?' which will be given by Dr Berton Moed, visiting Orthopaedic Surgeon.

The Millin meeting incorporates the 22nd Carmichael Lecture which will be given by well known radio journalist and rugby pundit Mr George Hook, on ‘Life Begins at 55'.

Later in the day, Dr Moed will be conferred with an Honorary Fellowship of RCSI. Dr Moed is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St Louis University School of Medicine and is a highly respected pelvic trauma surgeon.

The highlight of the Millin Symposium is the Millin Lecture which this year will be given by Mr John Burke, SpR in Colorectal Surgery, currently working in St Vincent's University Hospital. His lecture is entitled, 'From cell signalling to individualised patient care: lessons learned in the study of Crohn's Disease' and promises to be a very interesting lecture.