AUGIS would like to welcome Samir Pathak as the EDI Lead on AUGIS Council. 

I am of Indian heritage having been born in Yorkshire. I am a Consultant Pancreatic surgeon in Leeds and an active member of the EDI committee. Recently, I led the development of the mentorship programme for AUGIS. I am delighted the programme has been launched, marking a significant step towards fostering inclusion within our organisation.

Ensuring EDI principles are embedded within AUGIS, is critical for the continued growth and success of AUGIS. The Upper GI workforce is diversifying, and AUGIS needs to represent its members.  Embracing EDI aligns seamlessly with the organisation's objectives and is crucial to enhancing patient outcomes. My dedication is evidenced by national roles, including being the AUGIS/RCS Associate(trainee) Lead for liver and pancreas cancer research and as a GBIHPBA committee member.

Outside medicine, I represented England Universities at cricket despite having been born with an absent fibula. I am a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) cricket committee and a trustee of their Foundation. I chaired the inquiry into alleged racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, reinforcing my pursuit of ensuring equality and inclusion outside the medicine.

I believe that my experiences uniquely position me to take on the responsibilities of chairing the EDI committee.

Mr Samir Pathak

Consultant Pancreatico-biliary surgeon

St James’s University Hospital, Leeds

Samir Pathak is the new the EDI Lead of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee

Committee Members: 

Mr Samik Bandyopadhyay

Dr Geraint Herbert

Ms Marianne Hollyman

Mr Renol Koshy

Mr Nagappan Kumar

Ms Alicja Psica

Miss Rupa Sarkar

Professor Aali Sheen

Ms Faiza Soomro

Ms Nilanjana Tewari

Since the establishment of the EDI committee approximately two years ago, significant work has been undertaken to ensure EDI principles are embedded within the organisation. There has been a reform in the process of election to AUGIS president, in line with good governance. Furthermore, there is now a formal process to ensure content of the annual scientific meeting and the Roux weekend is screened and appropriate. A guidance document regarding formatting of conferences and expectations from speakers is being developed. This will also encompass guidance for regional training days. The IMG/SAS representative is building a network to support the non-consultant UGI workforce complete the portfolio pathway.

The AUGIS mentorship programme has been launched, following an intensive one-day course on effective mentorship last October. Currently, there are eleven mentor-mentee pairings with plans to expand this in the next 12 months.

We will be presenting further updates of our work at the Manchester annual meeting in a plenary session with national keynote speakers too. We look forward to seeing you in Manchester.

June 2024

AUGIS Response to the BJS Begeny Report

The findings of the report by Begeny et al published in the BJS are deeply shocking. The scale of the problem is daunting and that anyone should experience sexual harassment, sexual assault, or rape at their place of work is an outrage. The findings that women are disproportionately affected are also deeply worrying, but sadly, won't be surprising to many.  We're grateful to the authors for undertaking this important and robust work, and to the many surgeons who have shared their experiences to help others.

The first line of the report opens with 'Sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape, referred to as sexual misconduct are unacceptable.'. This ought to be self-evident, but clearly much more needs to be done and we're truly sorry that our friends and colleagues should suffer in these ways. There must be zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, we must do better. We support calls for reform of investigative processes so that victims of sexual misconduct can have confidence in them. 

On behalf of the AUGIS Council, AUGIS Equality Diversity and Inclusion Committee

September 2023