The Confederation of British Surgery

What The Confederation of British Surgery does

The Confederation of British Surgery (CBS) is the only UK trade union established specifically for surgeons and the extended surgical team. Founded in November 2018 and registered as a trade union under UK law since 2019 (confirmed by the Certification Office following a four-phase review completed 3 March 2022), CBS represents consultant surgeons, surgical trainees, medical students, and the wider perioperative workforce — a UK addressable population of approximately 11,000 consultant surgeons and 7,500 consultant anaesthetists per NHS Digital (April 2024). It positions itself as independent from Royal Colleges, Trusts, and charities, and provides medico-legal and employment advisory services, representation, and a Member Assistance Programme (counselling, legal, bereavement, and online CBT via the Wisdom app).

CBS's core product is membership sold directly to surgical professionals: full membership at £15/month, free for medical students, and discounted Early Years tiers, distributed via its website (cbsgb.co.uk) and supported by a Surgical Advisory Service helpline offering a free first consultation to non-members as a conversion mechanism. The organization has no proprietary technology stack — operations run on standard web infrastructure with HubSpot CRM for member data management — and revenue is generated from three streams: recurring membership subscriptions, a contractual Surgical Indemnity Scheme developed with Medical Insurance Consultants (MIC) priced at £498/year for NHS-only surgeons (combined CBS membership + indemnity at £591/year), and partner referral income from a discount network spanning accountancy (Ballards LLP), financial advice (Chase de Vere), insurance (Indigo, PRASIS, OTSIS, WPA, MIC), wellbeing partners, automotive, and education.

The organization is led by a volunteer Executive Board of practicing surgeons headed by President Mark Henley FRCS(Plast), operates from a registered address in Leamington Spa (the website is operated by Light Media Communications Limited), and employs 11 staff. Recent strategic activity includes co-launching a Bullying and Harassment Helpline with BAPRAS (September 2023), ongoing webinar programming, and formal submissions to the GMC consultation on legislative reform (June 2026). CBS generates no external funding, has no subsidiaries or M&A activity, and operates exclusively in the United Kingdom.

Name

The Confederation of British Surgery

Legal name

Light Media Communications Limited

Website

https://cbsgb.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Confederation of British Surgery (CBS) is a UK-registered trade union founded in 2018 that provides medico-legal advisory services, representation, indemnity scheme access, and member benefits to consultant surgeons, surgical trainees, medical students, and the extended perioperative team across the United Kingdom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Leamington Spa

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: CBS generates primary revenue through membership subscriptions. Full membership costs £15 per month. Medical students join free. Early years memberships available at low prices. This recurring revenue supports the organization's advocacy, advisory services, and member benefits programs.
2. Indemnity Insurance Partnership: CBS partners with Medical Insurance Consultants (MIC) to offer the Surgical Indemnity Scheme. NHS-only surgeons are charged £498/year inclusive of IPT, with potential 10% discount for combined CBS membership and NHS indemnity at £591/year. This partnership provides both member protection and referral revenue.
3. Partner Discounts and Referrals: CBS offers exclusive discounts through partner network (Ballards Accountancy, Chase de Vere financial advice, car services, etc.) which may generate referral income from partner companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Confederation of British Surgery (CBS) is a UK-registered trade union selling individual memberships to surgical professionals, including consultant surgeons, surgical trainees, medical students, and the extended surgical team. Core paid membership (£15/month, free for students) grants access to the Surgical Advisory Service for medico-legal and employment advice, free counselling and wellbeing support, indemnity guidance via partners (INDIGO, PRASIS, MIC), and a network of member discounts on accountancy, financial advice, and car services.

Product overview

The Confederation of British Surgery is a trade union for surgeons offering a unified membership platform providing advocacy, advisory services, and member benefits. The core product is CBS Membership, which grants access to the Surgical Advisory Service (SAS) for medico-legal and employment advice, and the Member Assistance Programme for wellbeing support. Additional offerings include indemnity schemes through partner providers (INDIGO, PRASIS, MIC), financial services (Ballards accountancy, Chase de Vere financial advice), car benefits, and educational resources such as webinars and mentorship. CBS is independent—neither a Trust, Royal College, nor charity—and is registered with the ICO.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• CBS passed all four phases of the Certification Office review, confirming trade union status
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Indigo IndemnitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCBS partners with Indigo Indemnity to provide medical indemnity advice to members. Indigo provides expert guidance on indemnity cover requirements for surgeons.
• PRASIScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with PRASIS (Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Insurance Scheme) for insurance products for plastic surgeons.
• OTSIScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with OTSIS for indemnity and insurance support services for members.
• Ballards LLPcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive accountancy partnership with Ballards LLP providing tax advice, limited company setup guidance, and financial planning for surgeons. Contact: Matthew Watson at [email protected].
• Chase de VerecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Chase de Vere for independent financial advice services to CBS members including pension planning and investment guidance.
• Medical Insurance Consultants (MIC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCBS developed the Surgical Indemnity Scheme with MIC, providing contractual indemnity for NHS-only surgeons at £498/year and combined CBS membership and indemnity at £591/year. Unlike MDOs, MIC provides regulated, contractually obligated coverage.
• Menopause SupportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Menopause Support (not-for-profit CIC and home of #MakeMenopauseMatter campaign) providing free resources, booklets, and support videos for menopausal members.
• Surgery InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner providing services or resources related to international surgical practice and opportunities.
• Doctors in DistressminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partner providing support services for doctors experiencing distress or mental health challenges.
• Servicesure AutocentresminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCar service and parts partner offering discounts to CBS members.
• BAPRAS (British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative with BAPRAS to launch a bullying and harassment helpline. CBS President Mark Henley and BAPRAS immediate past President Ruth Waters collaborated on response to Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery report. Joint press release and advocacy.
• CPOC (Centre for Perioperative Care)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBS sits on the CPOC Advisory Group, a multiprofessional, multi-speciality group helping direct strategic aims. Supports establishment and improvement of guidelines, standards and policies for perioperative care.
• WPA HealthcareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare insurance partner offering member discounts on health coverage.
• MBA ProgrammeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMBA programme partner offering educational opportunities to CBS members.
• Surgical SkillsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSurgical skills training partner providing resources and opportunities for member development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• American College of Surgeons: The ACS is a major US-based professional association for surgeons, providing education, advocacy, and member services. It is comparable as a surgeon-only professional membership organisation operating across advocacy and member support, though it is not a trade union and serves a different geography.
• Trades Union Congress: The TUC is the umbrella body for UK trade unions, with 6.5 million members across affiliated unions including CBS. It is comparable as the industry-association/clearing-house context in which CBS operates as a member union.

Broad incumbents

• British Medical Association: The BMA is the UK's largest doctors' trade union, representing consultants, GPs, and trainees across all specialties. It is the dominant incumbent in medical trade unionism and the most direct comparator for CBS's collective representation function, although it serves all doctors rather than surgeons specifically.
• Royal College of Surgeons of England: RCSEng is the professional body for surgeons in England, setting standards, running the surgical workforce census, and providing education. It is not a trade union but its workforce advocacy (e.g., highlighting 50% of surgeons considering leaving) shapes the demand CBS addresses.
• Royal College of Nursing: The RCN is the UK's largest professional union and body for nursing, with collective bargaining and member services similar in structure to CBS. It is comparable as a single-profession healthcare membership organisation operating trade union functions for clinical staff.

Direct peers

• Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association: HCSA is a UK trade union specifically for hospital consultants and specialists, providing representation on terms and conditions of service. It is the closest direct peer to CBS in both target member (consultants/specialists) and service offering (trade union representation).

Emerging players

• Medical Protection Society: MPS is one of the leading UK medical defence organisations providing medico-legal advice and indemnity to doctors. It is comparable to CBS via the indemnity partnership angle (MIC) and competes for the same surgical members on the indemnity side of CBS's offering.
• Medical Defence Union: The MDU is a major UK medical defence organisation providing indemnity and medico-legal support to doctors including surgeons. It is comparable because it serves the same surgeon customers on the indemnity/medico-legal advisory dimension that CBS addresses through its MIC partnership and Surgical Advisory Service.
• British Dental Association: The BDA is a UK trade union and professional association for dentists, providing representation, indemnity guidance, and member services. It is a useful functional analogue: a single-profession healthcare trade union model that mirrors CBS's structure and approach.
• British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons: BAPRAS is the specialty association for plastic surgeons in the UK. CBS has a strategic partnership with BAPRAS (joint bullying/harassment helpline), making BAPRAS a directly relevant collaborator and peer in the surgical sub-specialty advocacy space.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UKsurgeons
• Instagraminstagram.com/uksurgeons
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-confederation-of-british-surgery

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Confederation of British Surgery