The British Thoracic Society (BTS) has developed new Training Standards for Pleural Procedures in response to calls from within the respiratory community.
A 2025 BTS audit found significant safety concerns in pleural procedures across the UK. BTS has since developed training standards to help improve patient safety by standardising best practice in line with the 2023 BTS Pleural Disease Guidelines.
The training standards set out how learners should demonstrate skills required to perform key pleural procedures and can be used across the UK to harmonise training standards for all practitioners across acute medical specialities.
This publication will provide those working within respiratory services with a suitable standard to support the improvement and expansion of their skills.
Read the Training Standards for Pleural Procedures on the BTS website.
Read the 2023 BTS Pleural Disease Guidelines