Tomorrow Cardiovascular Services were approached by Juliet Noman, the programme manager for North Yorkshire and Humber AAA Screening Programme, in August 2022 to discuss a short-term contract to provide locum ultrasound services to aid an externally funded, covid 19 backlog recovery project.
Tomorrow was recommended by the South Manchester AAA screening programme who had a similar demand, and contracted with the team at that time.
Tomorrow vascular scientists began supporting the AAA screening clinics in November 2022with the contract running for 11 months, until the funding was exhausted. The nature of the work was to screen the abdominal aorta in line with the nationally defined Screening Technician’s scope of practice, which is quite specific. Staff attended approx. 3-4 clinics per week, across the North andEast Yorkshire regions and were always partnered with a qualified screening technician from the service.
The screening technicians were initially apprehensive about the prospect of working directly with vascular scientists from another team. However, this was quickly replaced with mutual respect, new professional friendships and shared learning opportunities.
“On first hearing we were to be working with Tomorrow to help with the recovery of our NAAASP patient back log I was a little apprehensive as to how things would work. Buton meeting the staff, they quickly became part of our small team. They are all so friendly, professional and fitted in so well with how we work that it was a pleasure to work with them all. Now we have reduced the back log significantly and the contract has come to an end. I shall miss working alongside them”. Lisa Kempton, AAA Screening Technician.
AllTomorrow’ staff work was audited and quality assured in line with NAAASP QA procedures and individual monthly feedback given by the clinical skills trainers (CST).
“We found all Tomorrow colleagues knowledgeable, professional, polite, courteous, hardworking and punctual. Relationships with their line manager and clinical supervisors within the programme and the whole screening team were excellent and their work is of a high standard. I would not hesitate to approach TomorrowCardiovascular Services should the opportunity arise in the future”. Juliet Noman, Programme manager.
