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P292 Lack of standardisation in training, governance and revalidation processes for clinical practitioners performing fibroscans®

gutjnl · 2026-06-23 · canonical JSON source

3 visible annotations · policy: published · automated confidence ≥ 75.00%

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Introduction Liver fibrosis is the primary predictor of mortality in chronic liver disease. Due to the invasive nature and risks associated with liver biopsies, vibration controlled transient elastography—typically performed via Fibroscan®—is now the first-line tool for assessing fibrosis across all liver disease aetiologies. Despite heavy reliance on this technology, there is currently no mandated governance or revalidation framework for operator training to ensure initial and ongoing proficiency.Methods A cross-sectional online survey was distributed to all clinicians performing Fibroscans® across eight Northeast (NE) England NHS Trusts. A structured questionnaire was used to investigate similarities and differences in local Fibroscan® training and revalidation processes.Results Twenty-six practitioners completed the survey (76.5% response rate), providing 100% representation across the eight surveyed Trusts. Most respondents (53.8%) were nurse specialists within hepatology or alcohol specialist teams. The median number of operators per Trust was 4 (IQR 3–7), with 50% of sites sharing a single machine. While the median number of scans performed annually per operator was 1,100 (IQR 250–1,770), 35% of respondents performed fewer than 250 scans per year.All operators (100%) completed the manufacturer’s (Echosens) training prior to independent practice. Half of the respondents reported additional in-house training; however, this varied by Trust with no standardised scan volume required for independent practice. While 88% of operators felt confident or very confident in interpreting scan validity, only 19% reported routinely reviewing the elastogram, lamination, TM, and A-mode images alongside the IQR.Notably, 85% of operators reported no formal revalidation process. In the 2 (25%) Trusts that did have a revalidation process, Methods varied from annual reassessments to ad hoc spot-checks.Conclusions This survey identifies a significant lack of standardisation in Fibroscan® training and revalidation across eight NE NHS Trusts. Despite high subjective confidence, only a minority of operators demonstrated comprehensive competence in interpreting all scan parameters. These findings highlight an urgent need for clear governance and formal revalidation processes to ensure accurate reporting and safe patient management.