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
CALL FOR EOI: BCIS AHP Working GRoup
CALL FOR EOI: BCIS AHP Working GRoup
17th May 2024
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.
Allied Health Professional Working Group Member Without Portfolio (x1post)
We are looking for dedicated, enthusiastic and experienced allied health professional to join the Group and play a key role in its various activities including organisation of the BCIS AHP Summer Meeting; ACI – AHP sessions. You can find out more details about the Allied Health Professionals Group on the BCIS website where there is a dedicated AHP area.
The position is for a 3-year term.
Person Specification
Qualifications: Relevant professional qualification for discipline.
Experience: Relevant experience in interventional cardiology practice. As a guide, indicative experience of eight years post qualification with at least five years working within interventional cardiology desirable. Minimum of two years at senior level.
Other: 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 an allied health professional and BCIS member.
We are looking for enthusiastic members who have novel ideas to develop the goals of the AHP group and BCIS for the future.
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 in order for the application to be valid.
Feel free to pass on details to other AHP 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 Sarah Carson, together with other members of BCIS Council. Successful candidates will be chosen based upon the best scores.
The deadline for applications is Friday 14th June at 5pm.
Informal enquiries are welcome – please contact any member of the Working Group or alternatively, please contact the Group via bcis@millbrookconferences.co.uk.
Best wishes,
Sarah Carson
AHP Working Group Lead
Call For Expressions of Interest: Research and Development Working Group Members
Call For Expressions of Interest: Research and Development Working Group Members
17th May 2024
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 Members:
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 positions are for a 3-year term.
Upcoming posts:
Lead of the Structural Research Sub-Group:
Lead of Structural Heart Disease will automatically become co-opted to the Structural Working Group and replace incumbent Dr Patrick Calvert. The remit of the research specialty groups is to stimulate new clinical research and trials in disease areas of unmet need, and to support the development of research ideas from BCIS members.
Lead Literature Review Project:
We are looking for enthusiastic members with special responsibility for literature review project for quarterly literature reviews with the assistance from Dr Natalia Briceno. Please find a link here to previous literature reviews.
Research Nurse Representative
Member without Portfolio
Applications are open to all members of BCIS. Candidates should normally have some experience of research, be able to demonstrate experience of committee work and have good organisational abilities.
Application
Application is by self-nomination with a supporting statement from the candidate of no more than 500 words. The closing date is Friday 14th 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.
BCIS AHP Working GRoup: New Members
BCIS AHP Working GRoup: New Members
10th November 2023
BCIS Allied Health Professionals New Appointments
Following the recent application process, it is my great pleasure to be able to announce two new members who will start their three year tenure in January 2024.
Having reviewed all the applications, the panel of judges whittled it down to the following candidates:
- Kerry Pena
- Christine Gill
Many congratulations! It is an exciting time to be working in education for AHPs in Interventional Cardiology and I am very much looking forward to working with you in the near future.
BCIS would like to congratulate the successful candidates and thank all those who applied for their continued interest in BCIS. The Working Groups form the backbone of the society, and BCIS was delighted to have so many high calibre applicants.
Best Wishes,
Sarah Carson
Allied Health Professional Working Group Lead
My First AHP Summer Meeting Experience
My First AHP Summer Meeting Experience
1st August 2023
BCIS AHP Annual Conference — Bournemouth, 26-27 June 2023
Words by Hayley Hill, Nurse Angiographer at University Hospitals Northamptonshire NHS Group
I was surprised and excited when I was invited to join the BCIS Allied Healthcare Professionals Working Group, yet instantly imposter syndrome slowly crept in as dates started appearing in my diary. I need not have worried. On meeting the rest of the team, I realised that though I was surrounded by a group of experts with vast experience, I was essentially surrounded by a group of like-minded individuals whom I felt like I had worked with for years!
The Royal Bournemouth Hotel played its debut in being the venue for the AHP summer meeting, and despite the hot weather, and clearly never having experienced a vast quantity of NHS workers at a buffet, nothing seemed too much effort for them to address. The AHP Working Group had put a lot of thought into the flow of the day, and the use of the different spaces available to accommodate both the lecture and practical elements available. Regardless of whether the teaching was hands-on or more theoretical, the energy to encourage interactive sessions was infectiously positive, and the days whipped by without acknowledging the volume of information inhaled.
After doing a joint talk in the Fundamentals stream on day one, I managed to relax into the role a bit more and attempted to play to my strengths and tried to aid the Millbrook team. Whilst they seemed to make it look effortless in transitioning different groups to different spaces, my attempts came across like a flappy chicken herding cats, so I was in total awe of their unflappable stature.
To sum it all up; alongside this being a resource rich conference with multiple modalities, and both clinical and industry experts at the attendee’s disposal, I personally enjoyed the ethos and culture of sharing experiences and knowledge, and having time to meet AHPs from across the nation. In so many ways this gave me confidence in knowing my own centre was in line with others, in terms of safety and evidence, and re-fuelled my passion for everything cath lab, with ideas to adopt to improve both my team and patient experience.
Call For Expressions of Interest: Research and Development Working Group Member (2 posts)
Call For Expressions of Interest: Research and Development Working Group Member (2 posts)
2nd February 2023
Dear BCIS member,
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 Member (2 posts)
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.
We are looking for enthusiastic members who wish to contribute to the group. Applications are open to all members of BCIS. Candidates should normally have some experience of research, be able to demonstrate experience of committee work and have good organisational abilities.
The positions are for a 3-year term.
Application
Application is by self-nomination with a supporting statement from the candidate of no more than 500 words. The closing date is 5pm on Wednesday 1st March 2023. 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.
With kind regards,
Dr Gerald Clesham
Honorary Secretary, BCIS
Call For Expressions of Interest: BCIS Trainees Course
Call For Expressions of Interest: BCIS Trainees Course
11th January 2023
Dear BCIS member,
Are you and your team enthusiastic about trainee education? Could you deliver one day of interactive informative education? Are you interested in the educational development of the trainee members of our Society? If so, we would like to invite you to submit an expression of interest to host the Trainees Summer Meeting in 2023.
Each year, the BCIS TEG (Teaching and Education Group) Working Group run a popular face to face training day for interventional fellows. Last year, Bournemouth very ably hosted this for us, thank you Peter and your team.
The programme for 2023 has not yet been developed, but previously worked best with a mixture of in-house and external faculty and has been hosted in a nearby hotel (although a hospital venue is an option) which is looked after by Millbrook Medical Conferences.
It is intended that the successful centre will join a ZOOM meeting with the TEG Working Group to agree a date, the content of the programme and their role in it.
Application
Application is by self-nomination along with a supporting statement from the centre. This should be no more than 500 words, and include the details of what you and your unit can bring to the TEG Working Group and its summer meeting. Centres will be judged by prior experience and effectiveness of delivery, range of subjects covered, and ease of delegates to get to venue.
Applicants are welcome to upload a suggested draft agenda, but this is optional.
If you are enthusiastic to take this on, please complete the form at the bottom of the page by Friday, 3 February 2023 at 5 PM, including a statement in support of your application.
If you have any questions relating to this role, please feel free to contact me for further information (brian.clapp@gstt.nhs.uk).
With kind regards,
Brian Clapp
Responsibility for Training Education
BCIS TEG
Call For Expressions of Interest: VALVE FOR LIFE UK LEAD
Dear BCIS member,
Are you and your team enthusiastic about trainee education? Could you deliver one day of interactive informative education? Are you interested in the educational development of the trainee members of our Society? If so, we would like to invite you to submit an expression of interest to host the Trainees Summer Meeting in 2023.
Each year, the BCIS TEG (Teaching and Education Group) Working Group run a popular face to face training day for interventional fellows. Last year, Bournemouth very ably hosted this for us, thank you Peter and your team.
The programme for 2023 has not yet been developed, but previously worked best with a mixture of in-house and external faculty and has been hosted in a nearby hotel (although a hospital venue is an option) which is looked after by Millbrook Medical Conferences.
It is intended that the successful centre will join a ZOOM meeting with the TEG Working Group to agree a date, the content of the programme and their role in it.
Application
Application is by self-nomination along with a supporting statement from the centre. This should be no more than 500 words, and include the details of what you and your unit can bring to the TEG Working Group and its summer meeting. Centres will be judged by prior experience and effectiveness of delivery, range of subjects covered, and ease of delegates to get to venue.
Applicants are welcome to upload a suggested draft agenda, but this is optional.
If you are enthusiastic to take this on, please complete the form at the bottom of the page by Friday, 3 February 2023 at 5 PM, including a statement in support of your application.
If you have any questions relating to this role, please feel free to contact me for further information (brian.clapp@gstt.nhs.uk).
With kind regards,
Brian Clapp
Responsibility for Training Education
BCIS TEG