The appointee will be joining a team of seven imaging cardiologists, as well as the larger cardiology consultant group. Due to the expansion of LHCH's surgical and structural programmes, this is an exciting and rewarding time to be involved in tertiary centre cardiac imaging in Liverpool due to the increasing demand, improving investment in cardiac diagnostics/radiology, improving image quality and scanner capabilities, and advancing research. LHCH is a high-volume centre for cardiac CT and MRI, with the scanners being dedicated to cardiac work. The imaging cardiologists and radiologists form a supportive, cohesive, collaborative and efficient team who benefit from each other's knowledge and experience.
The appointee will form part of an established team who deliver a broad range of multi-modality imaging for services including heart valve clinic, TAVI and a developing interventional mitral programme, cardiac surgery (including minimally invasive surgery/aortic repair/Ross procedure), interventional cardiology, electrophysiology/devices, inherited cardiac conditions and cardio-oncology. In addition, there are weekly multi-disciplinary team meetings led by the imaging group for general cardiac imaging queries, mitral/aortic surgery and structural intervention.
As the largest single site specialist heart and chest hospital in the UK, we, at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, have a clear vision 'to be the best cardiothoracic integrated healthcare organisation'.
We provide specialist services in cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, respiratory medicine both in the hospital and out in the community.
We serve a catchment area of 2.8 million people, spanning Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man, and increasingly we receive referrals from outside these areas for highly specialised services such as aortics.
Our reputation for strong performance is important in delivering the best care for our patients and high quality clinical services. This is underpinned by a culture of research and innovation, delivered in modern estate and our encouragement of flexible working in a variety of forms.
Please visit our website -
Please follow this link for a tour of our site -
The appointee will be joining a team of seven imaging cardiologists, as well as the larger cardiology consultant group. Due to the expansion of LHCH's surgical and structural programmes, this is an exciting and rewarding time to be involved in tertiary centre cardiac imaging in Liverpool due to the increasing demand, improving investment in cardiac diagnostics/radiology, improving image quality and scanner capabilities, and advancing research. LHCH is a high-volume centre for cardiac CT and MRI, with the scanners being dedicated to cardiac work. The imaging cardiologists and radiologists form a supportive, cohesive, collaborative and efficient team who benefit from each other's knowledge and experience.
LHCH provides an advanced echo service encompassing all aspects of echocardiography including stress, 3D, contrast, transoesophageal and echo in the catheter lab for interventional procedures. The cardiac diagnostics department is staffed with 20 highly skilled cardiac physiologists with individual BSE accreditation, with the same accreditation also awarded at departmental level. In the past 12 months, over 10,000 outpatient transthoracic echocardiograms were performed along with over 500 stress echo, 400 transoesophageal echo, 4500 in-patient scans and over 1000 scans for the community cardiology service. For stress echo, the department is able to offer all modalities including treadmill, bike, pacing and pharmacological stress. TOE is performed in a purpose-built endoscopy suite. The adult congenital heart disease team are integrated within the imaging department and work in close collaboration with the imaging cardiologists. There are strong links with local secondary care cardiologists and a local network to which the appointee would be expected to contribute.
The TAVI/structural team work closely with the imaging group, and currently consist of six interventional cardiologists. The service is expanding with new appointments imminent, and there is collaborative working with dedicated nurse specialists, cardiac and vascular surgeons. Approximately 500 TAVIs will be performed this year, with a recently established TEER service gaining experience and consultant recruitment. Additional structural work includes PFO, paravalvular leak and VSD closure.
LHCH provides excellence with regards to care for patients with heart valve disease. The valve clinic has been well established for several years and is run using an MDT approach comprising the consultant group, cardiac physiologists and a heart valve nurse. The service offers specific expertise to the complex group of patients under surveillance with borderline severe/asymptomatic severe valve disease, as well as guiding patients towards surgical and transcatheter treatment via the multidisciplinary team.
The radiology department provides outstanding technology for cardiothoracic imaging. There are two MRI scanners including a wide bore (1.5T cardiac optimized Siemens Sola MR scanner and a 3T VIDA Siemens), and two dual energy Siemens force CT scanners. CT images are analysed using dedicated software (Syngo via).
There is a Consultant of the Week structure, to which the new appointee will contribute, whereby all cardiology in-patients are reviewed daily. There is an MDT/heart team structure for patients who may require valve surgery, percutaneous valve intervention, aortic surgery as well as revascularisation and high-risk surgical cases, to which the appointee would be expected to contribute. New consultant appointments can have an appointed mentor and would receive clinical support from all senior colleagues.
The job plan/timetable is flexible and can be adjusted to suit the needs of the appointee and any specific interests they may have.