The workforce shortage of suitably trained and Accredited Echocardiographers is well recognised, despite the growth in the Cardiac Physiology workforce via the Scientific Training Programme (STP).
The School in collaboration with the British Society of Echocardiography (BSE), developed a pilot pathway that will respond more rapidly to the urgent workforce needs for Accredited Echocardiographers. This 18 month, full-time integrated training scheme delivers Academic and work place training leading to both a Post-graduate certificate in Echocardiography and Level 2 BSE Accreditation in Transthoracic Echo. The training scheme incorporates successful elements of the STP including Echocardiography modules, accreditation of departments and support for trainees and training officers.
Health Education England funded Manchester Metropolitan University to adapt existing STP modules to ensure sufficient academic content and underpinning knowledge for the trainees on this course. The altered academic component consists of one existing 30 credit module (Ultrasound imaging in Cardiac Disease) from the STP, and one 30 credit module written specifically to cover other aspects of the BSE syllabus including Physics and professional elements.
Trainees, funded at A4C Band 6, are required to complete a variety of competencies and assessments for each module within the workplace and these are recorded on an online e-portfolio. Simulator training, which can increase self-directed training time and accelerate hands-on clinical skills in Echocardiography, is supported on the course and the immersive, full-time, supernumary nature of the role will enable suitably trained Echocardiographers to enter the workforce in a significantly shortened timescale compared to current training models.
The programme has been rolled out nationally, with the Academic provision expanded to include other universities in the UK.