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Originally published in The Medical Independent:The 73rd ICS Annual Scientific Meeting and AGM was brought to a close by incoming President Prof Pascal McKeown, who delivered the final address and thanked everybody who made the event possible. “It has been an absolutely wonderful meeting,” Prof McKeown told the attendees. “The huge attendance by the nurses, physiologists and doctors at the conference is a testament that, as human beings, we need to see each other and talk in person. The virtual meetings over the past couple of years have been excellent, but we have also had a stunning review...

As I reflect on my first year as ICS President, I am very proud of the resilience that the society and its members have shown during what has been a very challenging 18 months. The pandemic has affected us all professionally and personally and it has been my pleasure and an honour to help lead and navigate the society for the past year. Whilst it is very disappointing that we have not been able to come together as a group, the society has certainly risen to the challenge and expanded its on-line activities. Our key objective of providing educational opportunities for members has continued to...

Given the levels of uncertainty which remain, the unknown factors regarding the restrictions which may be in place in October and the time needed to plan the meeting logistics, we regrettably have decided that the most appropriate format for the 2021 meeting is virtual. I am very sorry that we will not be coming together as a group this year but following a thorough examination of all the options I believe that this is the correct and appropriate decision for the society. Our focus will now turn to preparing for a virtual event of similar format to last year with additions and improvements to our virtual meeting platform and we will once again facilitate the meetings of the cardiovascular nurses and physiologists.

A programme update will be circulated shortly and those whose abstracts have been accepted will be informed by the end of July.

I look forward to your support of the 2021 meeting and a return to live events as soon as is permissible.

This report gives an overview of the medical workforce in publicly funded health services over the course of 2020. The HSE is mandated by the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 to assess, on an annual basis, the number and type of NCHDs required by the Irish health service. These doctors include interns, specialist trainees and non-trainees. For the second year in a row now, the report also includes an overview of the consultant workforce. Data used in the analysis of both NCHDs and consultants is collected from the NDTP Doctors Integrated Management E-System (DIME). Recent developments of the...

The ICOT Group are delighted to announce the 2021 Online Education Series aimed at trainees on the Irish Cardiology training scheme and doctors pursuing or considering a career in cardiology. Run in conjunction with the Irish Board for Training in Cardiovascular Medicine and the Irish Cardiac Society, the ICOT Education Series will cover a range of cardiology topics delivered over ten sessions throughout 2021. Each session will focus on a ESC Core Curriculum topic and will be led by a Cardiology SpR with expert input from members of Ireland’s cardiology trainer faculty.ABOUT THE IRISH...

The Western Trust is to become the first healthcare institution in the world to offer its cardiovascular patients a Fitbit smartwatch in combination with an app to detect atrial fibrillation through its innovative Our Hearts Our Minds programme.

The society is greatly saddened to have received news of the death of Prof. David Foley who passed away on January 18th 2021. An internationally renowned interventionist David was an outstanding cardiologist, trainer and colleague, generous with his time and expertise. His contribution to patient care and the cardiology profession in Ireland was immense. An active member of the society, he established the intervention subgroup and oversaw the development of the Thursday night intervention session from a small informal meeting to a key component of the annual programme. A colleague, mentor...

The society is delighted to announce that Prof. Vincent Maher has been elected President of the Irish Cardiac Society for the next two years. He succeeds Prof. Jim Crowley. Professor Maher is a Consultant Cardiologist at Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, Clinical Professor in Trinity College Dublin and Director of Chronic Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiac Rehabilitation at Tallaght University Hospital. He was formerly Medical Director of the Irish Heart Foundation, President of the Irish Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation, President of the Irish Atherosclerosis Society, and Chairman...