UPDATES FROM THE VASCULAR SOCIETIES
British Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in limb Absence Rehabilitation. (BACPAR)
www.bacpar.org | @BACPAR_official
The British Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in limb Absence Rehabilitation is celebrating its 30th year in 2023. Related presentations and articles will feature in the BACPAR programme and Autumn Journal.
Dr Miranda Asher continues to represent BACPAR on The Journal of the Vascular Societies Great Britain and Ireland editorial board as part of her role as one of BACPAR’s research officers . She is also part of the BACPAR programme planning team for the VS ASM.
The Executive committee met in March 2023 and has subsequently disseminated the objectives for the current membership year including what help is needed from the membership to achieve them. Progress against which will be reported upon at the AGM in November.
Working with another Professional Network of the CSP, BACPAR will aim to deliver a webinar to support the membership in understanding Advanced Clinical Practitioner roles in limb absence rehabilitation in line with Health Education England's framework.
BACPAR's education officers are in discussion with the Vascular Society re mutually supportive education opportunities and there has been a request to BACPAR to discuss complex intervention for lower limb amputations from the VS Amputation special interest group.
Following the last Executive Committee meeting in March where we received presentations from the CSP and Diversity network representatives - BACPAR has surveyed its membership to gain an understanding of whether BACPAR should collect details on their protected characteristics and how we can best support the membership. This will be discussed at our ext exec meeting in September.
There are ongoing updates of BACPAR Guidelines. Work is ongoing in updating the Pre and Post op guidelines. Volunteers from the VS and SVN have been sought to support this. The literature search has taken place and the identified papers are currently being reviewed by the update group. A survey of how the current guidelines have been used is underway and one for users is also being promoted.
The long-awaited update of the PPAM Aid Guidelines developed by SPARG are currently with external stakeholders for review (including the VS and SVN). On receipt of this feedback responses will be reviewed alongside others received and the guidelines update will be finalised.
We look forward to meeting up with the Vascular MDT in November. See you in Dublin.
Louise Tisdale
BACPAR Chair
August 2023
The British Society of Endovascular Therapy (BSET)
www.bset.co.uk | @BSETnews
British Society of Interventional Radiology (BSIR)
www.bsir.org | @BSIR_News
Rouleaux Club
www.Rouleauxclub.com | @RouleauxClub
Society of Vascular Nurses (SVN)
www.svn.org.uk | @vascularnurses
Since the last edition as junior doctors and consultants continue to strike, further nursing strikes were ruled unlawful and were therefore cut short. The nursing profession was then asked to re-vote on strike action and failing to exceed more than 50% of votes, the proposed pay rise was accepted. Nurses with extended roles and qualifications are now covering the gaps being left by the junior doctors’ strike – it is important this is considered within our vascular and wider teams to ensure individuals are not reaching burnout.
In July this year the vascular nursing community lost a very dedicated and experienced nurse consultant, Wendy Hayes. Wendy was one of the first vascular nurse consultants and a SVN past president. We will be looking to honour her memory in an appropriate way, as we have with Emma Bond.
We were invited again this year to hold a joint session with the Venous Forum in London. This event was well attended by nurses and sparked a challenging debate regarding the extended role of nurses providing venous intervention. A recurring concern is the possibility of reduced training opportunities for vascular trainees. However, this has been unfounded in centres that offer nurse delivered venous intervention as these services seem to offer ample opportunity for trainees to participate and learn in a supportive environment, and indeed feedback from trainees within such centres has been positive.
At our council meeting in May we held the election for our next vice president, the successful candidate for this role was Siobhan Gorst, vascular clinical nurse specialist at Doncaster Vascular Centre. She will step into the role at conference in November.
We have positions available on the council at present and have received one application so far. We are hoping to receive more and would encourage individuals who have often thought about taking on a new challenge and wish to be involved in making positive changes for vascular patients to take a leap of faith and apply.
At conference this year the SVN will be celebrating our 30th anniversary, so please come and join us. The conference programme is almost complete and we had a record number of James Purdie Prize Presentation applications which were all of an excellent standard. This has made selection very difficult and if individuals have not been successful this time please consider re-applying next year.
Gail Curran
SVN President
The College and Society for clinical Vascular Science (CSVS)
www.svtgbi.org.uk | @svtgbi
The SVT research committee has been working hard in the background since our last update. Our committee has more than doubled with new members bringing fresh ideas with a breadth of skills and knowledge to the team. We have attended SIG meetings, the Vascular Society research committee and trial design group meetings for future studies. Look out for these over the coming months.
Our research series published in the quarterly SVT newsletter, found on the SVT website, has continued to provide updated content on running research across the NHS. We also continue to run the successful monthly webinar series that covers everything from forming a research question through to regulation, approvals and grant applications. The webinar series is currently taking a summer break with the next one scheduled for Wednesday 6th of September, 12-1pm, which will cover training and approvals. We will be joined by guest speakers from the HSST programme and those with expertise in animal-based research. The research series and webinar series is free to SVT members but can also be accessed for a small admin fee for VS, SVN, BACPAR and BMUS members too. Make sure you register via the website to ensure you get the video link and where previous webinar recordings can be found.
We have re-booted the Bubbles section of the SVT newsletter too. For those unfamiliar, Bubbles was a snapshot of interesting papers highlighting limitations/benefits and impact on practice. SVT members will now see bubbles rebranded as SVT Bitesize Research in the summer issue of the newsletter. Each edition will focus on a particular topic with the summer publication being on historic landslide trials in Asymptomatic Carotid Disease and rounds of with the currently recruiting ECST2 and CREST2 trials.
More widely the SVT Executive Committee has run successful workshops on Thoracic Outlet with the next being on Giant Cell Arteritis on the 7th September at the RCPCH in London. Details on this are available on the SVT website where members will notice a refreshed look in parts along with new professional performance guidelines and job profiles. There are also some fantastic new resources on left-handed scanning and repetitive strain injury prevention tips.
The executive has also undertaken a major body of work with the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) on equivalence mapping the SVT’s Accredited Vascular Scientist training programme (AVS), as a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), with the Scientist Training Programme (STP). The hope is that SVT AVS members will subsequently be able to use their AVS qualification as a substantial portion of evidence for the Good Scientific Practice (GSP) learning outcomes when completing STP equivalence. More details will be made available by the President as this important work progresses through 2023.
If you would like to contact the SVT research committee you can do so via the SVT website or by emailing [email protected]
Ms Emma Waldegrave
President of the SVT GB&I
Dr Steven Rogers
Vice President Elect & Rsearch Chair
SVT GB&I
Vascular Anaesthesia Society of Great Britain & Ireland (VASGBI)
www.vasgbi.com | @vasgbi
The Vascular and Endovascular Research Network (VERN)
www.vascular-research.net | @VascResearchNet
The Vascular and Endovascular Research Network Executive Committee*
The Vascular and Endovascular Research Network continue contribute and collaborate with the wider vascular community to develop and deliver research to address the current challenges to vascular patients and their healthcare professionals.
VERN have collaborated with the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland to survey current environmentally friendly practices in vascular surgery and explore how we can adapt the way we work to reduce our carbon footprint. The five minute survey is still open to responses and we urge anyone who has not completed it yet to share their experiences. Our editorial, recently published in the Journal of the Vascular Societies of Great Britain and Ireland, explains why this is such an important topic to address now. We look forward to sharing the results of the survey during the Vice President Symposium at Vascular Societies’ Annual Scientific Meeting in Dublin later this year.
The winning project from last year’s Dragons’ Den ‘Prevention of Surgical Site Infection: A Global Pan-Surgical Survey of Practice’ has had over 428 responses. The survey is comparing surgeon reported practices with guidelines from the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention, WHO and NICE to identify variation and potential reasons for deviation.
The VERN committee have been busy behind the scenes preparing to launch two new projects for the autumn. Stay tuned for updates on how to get your center involved.
The committee are delighted to announce the return of Dragons Den at this year’s Vascular Societies’ Annual Scientific Meeting in Dublin. Dragons’ Den will be held in the main auditorium on Friday 24th November and shortlisted candidates will invited to present their project proposal to a panel of vascular experts. The deadline for abstract submission is 15th September 2023.
Contact us at:
Twitter / X: @VascResearchNet
Email: [email protected]
Link to ‘Greener Vascular Surgery Survey’: https://york.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6QIqazYZJMwwUjc
Link to PRESS:
https://york.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0D3JS8zfbuoFVf8
Link to Dragon’s Den:
*The Vascular and Endovascular Research Network Executive Committee: Louise Hitchman, Panagiota Birmpili, Aminder Singh, Brenig Gwilym, Matthew Machin, Robert Blair, Katherine Hurndall, Nina Al-Saadi, Lauren Shelmerdine, Sandip Nandhra, Ruth Benson, Sarah Onida, Nikesh Dattani, Dave Bosanquet, Joseph Shalhoub, Athanasios Saratzis, Graeme Ambler
The Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland
www.vascularsociety.org.uk | @VSGBI
Annual Society Meeting
‘Early bird’ registrations are open for the ASM 2023 in Dublin (22nd to 24th November). The link for registration is VSASM 2023 - Vascular Society. Registrations prior to 1st October benefit from the reduced rates so members are encouraged to book now.
Industrial action
Industrial action by both doctors in training and consultants continues in England. The government has announced that there will be no more talks with junior doctors over pay. Junior doctors will receive pay rises of 6%, along with an additional consolidated £1,250 increase, and hospital consultants will also receive 6%. In Scotland, junior doctors have accepted a 12.4% pay rise for 2023/24. This is in addition to a wage rise of 4.5% for 2022/23. Further talks are planned to “make credible progress” towards full pay restoration to 2008 levels.
Committee Reports
The National Vascular Registry team have drafted the 2023 “National Vascular Registry State of the Nation” report. A new NVR Board, hosted by RCS England and chaired by Professor Ian Loftus, met for the first time in July. The Audit and Quality Improvement Committee continue to work closely with NHS England (NHSE) in the development of the National Consultant Information Programme (NCIP) and the Medical Device Registry (MDR). NHSE has paused some NCIP streams, the Vascular programme is proceeding as planned.
The Education and Training committee are producing an introduction to vascular surgery for medical students. This is important as both an educational resource and to highlight a career in vascular surgery. A Superficial Venous Disease - Venous workshop, run by the VS and Venous Forum, is taking place in Dublin the Tuesday before the ASM.
Venous Forum VS Workshop Final.pdf.
The research committee, and the Executive, have been frustrated by RCS Eng having not appointed any VS/RCS Eng. Research Fellows for 2023/24. There were two posts advertised with 50:50 funding from the Vascular Society and RCS Eng. The VS will be writing to RCS Eng. formally about the process and the impact on trainees looking for funding to support their research. Elected Council will look to how to use this funding to support research fellows going forward.
The workforce committee is developing a plan to train sufficient trainers for this to be a national programme. The next Conflict Resolution training course run by RCS Ed. is in September.
Vascular Society and Circulation Foundation Websites
Five online workshops have run over the summer with our website partner (Lightmedia). Attendees have been impressed by the understanding the Lightmedia team have of our requirements. The new design concepts will work well on mobile, tablet and desktop devices.
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vascular and Venous Disease
The report ‘Empowering Change: A Vision for Self Supported Care’ was launched by the APPG on Vascular and Venous Disease in May. This report focusses on the issue of wound care. Mr Andrew Garnham, President Elect, represented the VS at the launch. The report recommends support for the National Wound Care Strategy Programmes lower limb recommendations and education on health care provision in out of hospital settings. Patients need to be supported and empowered to speak openly about the care and treatment they receive, and become equal partners in, rather than simply recipients of care.
VVAPPG Launches Report in Parliament - Wednesday May 10th — All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vascular and Venous Disease
Other news
Miss Tatiana Martin has stepped down from her role on elected Council as co-representative for SAS/Trust Employed doctors. Tatiana’s enthusiasm for this role will be missed. Both she and Ibrahim Enemosah deserve huge credit for all the work that they have done representing this group of vascular specialists.
Marcus Brooks
Consultant Vascular Surgeon,
North Bristol NHS Trust
Honorary Secretary, Vascular Society
