The British Society of Echocardiography (BSE) has published a new position statement on adult congenital echocardiography in hospitals without congenital heart disease surgery, endorsed by the British Congenital Cardiac Association (BCCA).
The position statement aims to support echocardiographers performing ACHD studies in non-specialist and non-surgical congenital centres where robust clinical support is not readily available by ensuring that the timeslot available for each echocardiogram is of a suitable duration for appropriate diagnostic assessment, without compromising patient access and flow in the clinic setting.
The position statement includes:
- Guidance on timeslots for adult congenital echocardiography
- Further recommendations on clinical support and training, including a suggested framework for ACHD clinics
Ms Wendy Gamlin, President Elect of the BSE said, “As the adult congenital heart disease population grows, it is essential that echocardiographers are afforded the time, training, and support to deliver safe, high-quality studies for this complex patient group. This position statement aims to provide structured guidance, promote teamwork, and encourage shared learning to support echocardiographers across all clinical settings. I'm extremely grateful to the wider working group and BCCA colleagues for their time and input to this important statement.”
Read the full statement