Letter to nhs england re Blueteq sign-off for every TAVI demand
14th July 2025
BCIS is pleased to share with its members a recent letter addressed to Mr. John Stewart, National Director of Specialised Commissioning at NHS England.
BCIS Training & Education Working Group EOI: Three Positions
BCIS Training & Education Working Group EOI: Three Positions
8th July 2025
We would like to invite expressions of interest from current BCIS members keen to have a role in the continued development of our Society by contributing to the work of the Training and Education Group.
Training and Education Group Member: Members without Portfolio (two positions) and Member with interest in Website development and maintenance (one position)
The Training and Education Group (TEG) is responsible for coordinating all Training & Education activities within the Society. These activities include provision of a wide range of educational events for its members, including fellowships, BCIS courses & sessions at ACI. The group is also central to the support of the BCIS interventional fellowship programme.
We are looking for three enthusiastic members who have novel ideas to develop the goals of the TEG and BCIS for the future. One of these roles will oversee the responsibility of the maintenance and development of the Working Group’s area of the website.
Eligibility/Person Specification
Applications are open to any member of BCIS, and it is expected that the applicants will have some experience of education and training in the field of interventional cardiology.
Candidates should also be able to demonstrate experience of committee work, good organisational and leadership abilities. The applicants for the Website specific role would be expected to have some prior experience in this area.
The positions are for a 3-year term and will commence September 2025.
Application
Application is by self-nomination, with reference to the person specification above. A supporting statement from the candidate, no more than 500 words, which specifically addresses their suitability for the role must accompany self-nomination for the application to be valid. Applicants should make it clear if they are applying for the without portfolio or interest in website working roles.
The closing date is Friday 8 August at 5pm. If you wish to apply, please do so via the form at the bottom of this page ahead of the deadline as noted above.
These applications will be scored by a panel consisting of the TEG Chair, currently Brian Clapp, together with other members of BCIS Council. Successful candidates will be chosen based upon the best scores.
If you have any questions relating to these roles, please feel free to contact us for further information brian.clapp@nhs.net or gerald.clesham@nhs.net. If you have any questions about the application process, please email BCIS@millbrookconferences.co.uk.
With kind regards,
Brian Clapp
Training and Education Group Lead
Training in Mechanical Thrombectomy – The Pathway for Cardiologists
Training in Mechanical Thrombectomy – The Pathway for Cardiologists
6th June 2025
Many of you have long been interested in Mechanical Thrombectomy for stroke as an enormously effective acute intervention with a NNT of 2.6 to reduce significant long-term disability and death. It is still not available 24/7 to our population in all areas or in the numbers we would like or that the NHS planned. One of the issues remains a lack of workforce; around 100 interventional neuroradiologists man rotas in the UK. The similar techniques and challenges to timely PPCI for STEMI do not need repeating.
After more than 5 years of work to try and enable willing interventional cardiologists to train to provide this intervention, a pathway finally exists. The RCR / GMC credential in MT is a curriculum which is now backed up by a training pathway and funding for backfill, allowing cardiologists to take time out of the day job to train. Please see the slides from the first meeting of credential learners with RCR, outlining how this will work. I would be happy to discuss again with any of you who may have given up asking in the past!
Kindest Regards,
Helen Routledge, BCIS Clinical Standards Working Group Lead
Call for EOI: Research & Development Working Group: Allied Health Representative
Call for EOI: Research & Development Working Group: Allied Health Representative
22nd May 2025
We would like to invite expressions of interest from BCIS members keen to have a role in the continued development of our Society by contributing to the work of the Research and Development Working Group.
Research and Development Working Group: Allied Health Representative
The Research and Development Group is responsible for coordinating Research and Development activities within the Society. These activities include the BCIS literature review service, development of new research ideas from members and the BCIS Young Investigator Award.
The position is for a 3-year term.
Applications are open to BCIS Allied Health Professionals only. Candidates should normally have some experience of research, be able to demonstrate experience of committee work and have good organisational abilities. The group holds two meetings a year which you are expected to attend, however additional project meetings may also take place.
Application is by self-nomination with a supporting statement from the candidate of no more than 500 words. The closing date is Friday 20 June at 5pm. Applications to be made via the form at the bottom of this page. If you have any queries, please contact Professor Vijay Kunadian (R&D lead) at Vijay.Kunadian@newcastle.ac.uk or Dr Gerald Clesham (Hon Sec) at Gerald.Clesham@nhs.net.
NICOR TMTV, LAAO & PFOC – Importing Data
NICOR TMTV, LAAO & PFOC – Importing Data
9th May 2025
Dear BCIS Member,
NICOR has now agreed that data relating to Mitral and Tricuspid procedures, LAAO, and PFO closure can be sent from local databases, as is the case for all other cardiac procedures. Previously, NICOR demanded that the data for these three datasets be put in manually via the NICOR website directly. This had a number of unintended consequences.
Firstly, there was difficulty gaining the necessary access to the NICOR website for data entry (Caldicott guardian approval; unwieldy entry mechanisms). Secondly, there was the understandable confusion among operators about which data was supposed to go in which database, with resultant large tranches of data lying dormant in the wrong place. Thirdly, the need for local databases remained in any case for PCI and TAVI datasets and non-NICOR databases (e.g., angiography, pericardiocentesis). Fourthly, many departments were using third-party software to generate their procedural report, and therefore double data entry was needed – this was never going to work!
This was a hard-won concession from NICOR, and I am very pleased that this sensible decision has been reached. Please back me up now by sending your data on these procedures to NICOR via the usual .csv files, so that I can show that I was right to make a fuss (which is naturally the most important point).
Dave Hildick-Smith
BCIS President
Call for EOI: Allied Health Professional Working Group, BCIS Council Representative
Call for EOI: Allied Health Professional Working Group, BCIS Council Representative
17th April 2025
We would like to invite expressions of interest from BCIS members keen to have a role in the continued development of our Society by contributing to the work of the AHP Group.
Role
Allied Health Professional Working Group, BCIS Council Representative
Person Specification
We are looking for an enthusiastic allied health professional member who has novel ideas to develop the goals of the AHP group and BCIS.
The successful candidate will have relevant experience in interventional cardiology practice. An interest in teaching and education is essential with an expected commitment to take part in sessions during the AHP Summer meeting and ACI. Experience of delivering talks / leading teaching sessions is desirable. Must be a BCIS member. You can find out more details about the Allied Health Professionals Group on the BCIS website where there is a dedicated AHP area.
This role will focus heavily on participation at BCIS Council Meetings and as such, previous committee meeting experience is essential.
Application
Application is by self-nomination, with reference to the person specification above. A supporting statement from the candidate, no more than 1 side of A4, addressing suitability for the role must accompany the application which can be submitted via the form at the bottom of this page, or you can email your application to bcis@millbrookconferences.co.uk
Feel free to pass on details to your colleagues who may be interested. If your colleague(s) is not currently a member of BCIS, they would be very welcome to join. Click here for further details. Membership of BCIS is required for the posts.
These applications will be scored by a panel consisting of the AHP Chair, currently Laura Starr, together with other members of BCIS Council and the AHP Working Group. The deadline for applications is Friday 16 May, 12 noon.
Informal enquiries are welcome – please contact laura.starr@dchft.nhs.uk or Gerald.Clesham@nhs.net
Call for EOI: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP
Call for EOI: RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP
21st March 2025
We would like to invite expressions of interest from BCIS members keen to have a role in the continued development of our Society by contributing to the work of the Research and Development Working Group. The Research and Development Group is responsible for coordinating Research and Development activities within the Society. These activities include the BCIS literature review service, development of new research ideas from members, development of consensus documents, participation in the coronary and structural research sub-groups, BCIS Research Webinars, BCIS Research Day and the BCIS Young Investigator Award.
Member without Portfolio (x2 positions)
Applications are open to all members of BCIS Candidates, however would typically suite those in a consultant position, should normally have some experience of research, be able to demonstrate experience of committee work, have good organisational abilities and commitment to attending BCIS R&D group meetings. Application is by self-nomination with a supporting statement from the candidate of no more than 500 words. The closing date is 25 April 2025. Applications to be made via the form at the bottom of this page. If you have any queries, please contact Professor Vijay Kunadian (R&D lead) at Vijay.Kunadian@newcastle.ac.uk or Dr Gerald Clesham (Hon Sec) at Gerald.Clesham@nhs.net.
Best Wishes,
Prof. Vijay Kunadian & Dr Gerald Clesham
Ballot Results: New TEG Working Group Lead 2025 – 2028
Ballot Results: New TEG Working Group Lead 2025 – 2028
13th December 2024
Dear BCIS members,
I am delighted to announce the successful appointment of Dr Brian Clapp as the new BCIS Training & Education Working Group Lead. Brian will be taking over current incumbent Dr Dougie Muir in January 2025. I would like to thank Dougie for his continued contributions and efforts during his time as Working Group Lead.
Thank you to all BCIS members who submitted a vote in the ballot.
With best wishes,
Gerald Clesham, BCIS Honorary Secretary
ELECTION FOR TEG WORKING GROUP LEAD Position 2025 – 2028
ELECTION FOR TEG WORKING GROUP LEAD Position 2025 – 2028
1st November 2024
Dear BCIS member,
I am pleased to report that two candidates have applied for the post of Training & Education Working Group Lead to take over from Dr Dougie Muir who completes his term in January 2025.
Please review the application statements from the two candidates below before voting.
Dr Brian Clapp
Dr Saqib Chowdhary
The voting electorate is current BCIS members only. Votes will be checked to ensure the voting criteria have been met. The closing deadline for the submission of votes is Friday 29 November at 5pm.
Please contact bcis@millbrookconferences.co.uk if there are any queries.
Kind regards,
Gerald Clesham, Honorary Secretary
Best Clinical PCI Case Announced at 2024 BCIS Interventional Trainees Course
Best Clinical PCI Case Announced at 2024 BCIS Interventional Trainees Course
25th October 2024
The BCIS Training and Education Group is pleased to announce that Sam McGrath from St Thomas’ Hospital has won the Best Clinical PCI Case award at the 2024 BCIS Interventional Trainees Course, co-hosted by St George’s University Hospitals.
After a call for case submissions, the top three were shortlisted and presented during the course, held on Thursday 17 – Friday 18 October 2024. Each case was subject to open discussion and critique.
A formal scoring system was used, evaluating cases on:
- Educational value
- Case complexity
- Quality of presentation and interaction with both the audience and panel
The three shortlisted cases were:
- A Low Contrast Battle Fracture Calcium by Sam McGrath
- Beware of What You Wish For by Fathy Aboushareb
- The Last Remaining Vessel by Ahmed Dakshi
Congratulations to Sam McGrath, and to all the shortlisted candidates for their contributions. Thank you to everyone who submitted a case for consideration.