AXREM Debate at BMUS Annual Scientific Conference Creates Engaging Conversations
09 December 2021
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On the evening of Wednesday 9th December AXREM were honored to collaborate with the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS) to host a debate ‘The role of ultrasound in community diagnostic centres’ at their annual scientific conference.
We were also honored to welcome Lord Chris Rennard who facilitated the debate. We were able to bring together an expert panel including Sir Mike Richards, Pamela Parker, Consultant Sonographer and President of BMUS, Professor Adrian Lim, MD FRCR, Professor of Practice and Consultant Radiologist and President Elect of BMUS, Andy Howlett, Director of Diagnostics, Medicines & Pharmacy Improvement at NHS England & Improvement, Roy Tappin, Region General Manager UKI Ultrasound, GE Healthcare & Convenor of the AXREM Ultrasound Special Focus Group and Harshal Vadera, Head of Ultrasound, Siemens Healthineers & Vice Convenor of the AXREM Ultrasound Special Focus Group.
After Lord Rennard welcomed attendees to the debate proceedings began with an introduction to Community Diagnostic Centres by Sir Mike Richards, author of the Diagnostics: Recovery and Renewal – Report of the Independent Review of Diagnostic Services for NHS England which was published in 2020. Sir Mike spoke about his report explaining the vision, purpose, and benefits of transforming diagnostic service delivery in the NHS through CDCs and the role of ultrasound
Some of the key comments/ discussions included:
- Andy Howlett spoke about Regional Imaging Academies, which need to be multi professional learning centres so we can invest in highly skilled sonographers. Andy also wants to look at how we innovate the workforce to build a skills pathway.
- Pamela Parker spoke about patient pathways and barriers for sonographers. Pamela advised that duplication could occur if the correct pathway is not established. The work within CDCs should also be audited to the same degree in secondary care so standards remain the same.
- Adrian Lim spoke about training and scaling up the workforce and how it takes time to gain experience. It will take several years to achieve and see the benefits of increased workforce.
- Roy Tappin & Harshal Vadera spoke about how industry has a responsibility to drive innovation, and how value for money should not just been evaluated by price. They went on to speak about demonstrations and how industry can support these by providing tools to make procurement easier. Digital tools should also be seen as helping to reduce the burden on clinicians ensuring they have quality time with their patients. Roy & Harshal concluded by asking how industry can gain feedback from Consultant Sonographers so they can ensure the tools and equipment being innovated by industry is helpful and creates efficiencies.
The session concluded with the panel answering questions from the audience.
After the event Sally Edgington, AXREM Director said “AXREM have been strengthening our relationship with BMUS for the last 18 months having collaborated on a couple of projects, we were honored to be given the opportunity to host the event as part of their Annual Scientific Conference, and I look forward to building upon this engagement on behalf of AXREM moving forwards”.
Roy Tappin & Harshal Vadera said “Collaboration and open dialogue between BMUS, NHS, policy makers and AXREM is key in successfully delivering on the CDC ambitions, and we hope this is the first of many such activities”.
Pamela Parker said after the event “The AXREM BMUS debate provided an invaluable opportunity for a discussion about the barriers and abundant opportunities that the development of community diagnostic hubs present for the ultrasound, and wider imaging, community. A clear message regarding the need for industry, private provider, NHS and practitioner collaboration emerged from the debate. An overarching issue is that of workforce and the debate provided an ideal platform for the discussion of how the profession could be upscaled. All panellists agreed that workforce is the most important issue if CDC’s are to become the aspirant success needed to meet the diagnostic requirements of our patients. However, the challenges of trying to grow a workforce of a currently unregulated profession could not be ignored and was discussed. BMUS is very grateful to all the panellists for their input into this important debate and to AXREM for providing the industry support”.
ENDS