Become a member
To apply for SBNS membership click the link below and visit our application page.
Patient Information
SBNS is unable to give medical advice or recommend neurosurgeons. Please use an appropriate support group or your GP.
Become a Neurosurgeon
The management of neurosurgical patients requires excellent medical and surgical skills, a career in Neurosurgery offers many challenges and rewards.
Contact the SBNS Office
Follow the link below to use our contact form or to find the appropriate telephone numbers.
The SBNS National Mentoring Scheme
The SBNS National Mentoring Scheme has been developed as a response to worrying levels of oppressive behaviour within neurosurgery. One of recommendations of the Kennedy Report into diversity, equity and inclusion by the Royal College of Surgeons of England was to support mentoring in surgical practice. The scheme is therefore an investment by the SBNS in its members to promote support and wellbeing for all.
The scheme uses the PushFar mentoring platform which will co-ordinate and organise the mentoring relationships.
Click or scan below to register:
https://www.pushfar.com/employee-register/IUZy3a9VBD/
Why a Mentoring Scheme?
Neurosurgical National Survey 2022
-65% felt they had been a victim of bullying, undermining or harassment
-70% had witnessed bullying, undermining or harassment
-73% reported feeling uncomfortable about being open/expressing themselves in the workplace
Estimated cost of bullying to NHS of £2.281/year
Burnout (syndrome characterised by emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced sense of personal accomplishment) experienced by 25%-57% of neurosurgeons
High levels of mental health concerns and addiction but very poor levels of seeking help with these issues in surgeons.
More information can be found on the launch presentation from the SBNS 2023 Cork meeting:
Talk by Prof. Ian Kamaly Asl
https://vimeo.com/talkingslides2/review/816479185/5f8055a364
Questions and Answers
https://vimeo.com/talkingslides2/review/816491409/a56f886290
Mentoring Resources
The Society of British Neurological Surgeons Mentoring Programme – Guidance
Avoiding Unconscious Bias - A Guide for Surgeons (RCS England)
RCS England Parents in Surgery Report
Bullying, Underming and Harrasment
Mentoring
100% the top 50 Fortune 500 companies have a mentoring programme.
Proven benefits for productivity, retention, satisfaction, inclusion and empowerment with mentoring schemes. This is for both the mentees and mentors taking part.
We have set up the SBNS neurosurgery mentoring scheme using the PushFar mentoring platform (please link to the associated information document). This is not what one might consider the traditional surgical mentor relationship but a more focused relationship of support and development that often is just on a short-term basis. This will provide a confidential process with a peer to facilitate career progress, encouragement and a feeling of being valued.
The scheme will be open to anyone within neurosurgery. It was initially targeted at junior consultants but clearly is open and has value for everyone within neurosurgery. Please do sign up and encourage colleagues to sign up as both mentees and mentors. There is online training and support through the PushFar platform. Currently the platform is open for mentees and mentors to approach each other to match, so once registered, approach colleagues through the platform to request a mentoring relationship. If people are reluctant we might start making mentoring suggestions through the platform. In these challenging times, this is a real opportunity for us to support each other as a neurosurgical community.