Dear Members,
The ATS is an organisation that represents trauma clinicians from all areas of trauma care. As we embrace winter with all the added challenges and tribulations that this time of year can bring, I ask you to spare a thought for our colleagues who are overwhelmed and fatigued by the last two years of relentless activity and workload that they have endured throughout the pandemic. There is no doubt that we are living and working in unprecedented times which is placing a great burden on not only the wider health system but also on us as individuals. Our colleagues continue to face the constant barrage of increasing presentations to emergency departments, mounting surgical lists and overwhelming caseloads that are being endured by all, and they do so in the hope of avoiding illness in the busy months ahead so that they can continue to provide gold-standard care for our patients and the wider community. They not only perform the necessary functions to maintain the system but they are continuing to do so with the continued dedication and commitment that we are used to witnessing from these selfless health care professionals but this can come at a cost to their personal and professional lives.
As health care professionals we are at risk of developing compassion fatigue in the context of the ongoing uncertainty related to the constant demands being placed on individuals, institutions and systems in light of the mounting pressure as a result of the pandemic. If you or of any of your colleagues are struggling under the constant demands, can I please encourage you to reach out to each other, to offer support and encouragement. It is through these acts of compassion, care and kindness that we as a community will continue to develop our resilience in order to be able to better support and care for each other during these difficult and challenging times.
The ATS Board of Directors along with the assistance of our committees, working groups and special interest groups have been diligently working in the background, to develop and deliver on the many initiatives that are underway within the society. As you read through this edition of Trauma Talk you will be provided with an update on these and I hope you share in our excitement as we watch these develop and grow. I sincerely thank each member, for their tireless commitment to ensuring that we continue to deliver on our planned objectives for not only this year but into the future so that our members can receive the ongoing benefits of these initiatives.
ATS President