Alan Fletcher, B Med Sci(Hons), MB ChB, MRCP, FFAEM. Appointed Consultant in Acute General Medicine and Emergency Medicine in 2004, Alan has clinical responsibilities in the Emergency Department and Medical Assessment Units. He is Sheffield Teaching Hospitals' Clinical Lead for Acute Medicine, Training Programme Director for Acute Medicine in the South Yorkshire Deanery, and Foundation Programme Director. Apart from an active teaching responsibility, he has research interests in the assessment of Nurse Practitioner competence and the value of acute medical admission.