Teamwork helps more than 50 fully accredited echocardiographers join NHS ranks

Pictures left to right - Nigel Stokes -  Head of Echo, Dr Polyvios Demetriades  - Cardiology SpR, Cheryl Oxley – Head of Cardiology Physiology, Keely Banks – Clinical Physiologist and Sadie Bennett - Clinical Scientist 

More than 50 fully accredited echocardiographers have joined the NHS ranks thanks to teamwork between University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) and the British Society of Echocardiography (BSE).

UHNM hosted BSE examinations for the first time recently, with more than 60 echocardiographers and 22 assessors involved in facilitating the process. The trust and BSE worked together to create a Covid-secure environment and a pass rate of more than 75% was achieved.

BSE is the organisation responsible for the education and accreditation of echocardiographers in the UK. Each year they assess approximately 400 candidates to establish whether they have achieved the standards required to attain accreditation.

Jo Sopala, Chief Executive of BSE, said: "Fortunately, as a result of the generosity of organisations like UHNM and the willingness of their teams, not to mention the excellent facilities, we have been able to provide Covid-secure practical assessments for echocardiographers, avoiding delays to people’s professional development and progression. The continuation of this programme has presented additional challenges over the past 15 months, but it has never been more important.

"We have received brilliant feedback about all elements of the day and many people took the time to tell us how grateful they were that we have been able to continue to offer the assessments in such a safe and welcoming environment. At a time when morale has been challenged so much within the NHS, it is amazing to know that we can contribute to lifting peoples’ spirits in this way.

"We could not have received more help and support from the team at UHNM. One of the most outstanding things about the echo community is that it is always committed to help people’s development. It was a privilege for the BSE team to work together with UHNM."

The BSE is regarded as having a world class accreditation process. They have over 4,000 members, many of whom have been pivotal in the management of Covid-19 patients during the recent crisis.

Sadie Bennett, Clinical Scientist and Co-Chair BSE Accreditation Committee said: “It is a great privilege to have been approached by the BSE and to be asked to hold such a prestigious examination event here at UHNM. A lot of hard work went on behind the scenes to set the examination day up and we are so grateful to everyone who was involved. Our great team ethos here at UHNM has ultimately led to improving the care of patients across the UK and we should all be really proud of that.”