The British Society of Echocardiography (BSE) is delighted to announce the successful sites who will participate in the pilot project for Level 3 accreditation.
The project will establish 14 pilot scientist-led clinics across the UK, and, using our expertise in echocardiographer accreditation, will develop an advanced accreditation pathway to establish the competency requirements for practice in the clinics.
Initially we will test this process in scientist-led clinics in valve disease, heart failure and inherited cardiac conditions. After six months of clinics, the pilots will be evaluated for clinical effectiveness, patient satisfaction and operational efficiency savings. The accreditation system and operational guidance will be evaluated to ensure that they are robust and fit for purpose.
Comprehensive scopes of practice have been developed to enable the pilot sites to deliver their clinics effectively. We would like to thank our Level 3 partners, the British Society for Heart Failure, British Inherited Cardiac Conditions Society and British Heart Valve Society, for their support in creating these resources, and their endorsement of our pilot project.
The successful pilot sites are:
- Justin Adams, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Gemma Allan, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
- Alison Barnett, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Katrina Bounford, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Robert Bunce, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Sarah Butcher, James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Clare Culshaw, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group
- Kate Downey, Aintree Hospital, NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group
- Sarah Marchewka, Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Hazel McCullagh, NHS Fife
- Erica McEwan, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- Sarah Merrit, Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
- Jennifer Morgan, Hywel Dda University Health Board
- Joseph Sparey, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
The successful applicants will embark on the first module of their clinical skills training at the beginning of June and then be focussed on shadowing other specialists, participating in MDTs, collecting data pre implementation of clinics and identifying suitable patients.
Ms Jo Sopala, Chief Executive Officer of the BSE said, “We were overwhelmed with the number and quality of the applications received. It was incredibly difficult to choose between applicants. Ultimately the panel looked for individuals and sites which could provide evidence of this programme working in a variety of settings, including tertiary centres, district general hospitals and community diagnostic centres. They also wanted to ensure a good geographical spread. It has been humbling meeting with the successful applicants. All have stressed their determination to succeed on behalf of the whole workforce.”
Further information about the project can be found on our Level 3 hub.
Visit the Level 3 hub