Dr Allan Harkness

I am a Consultant Cardiologist based in Colchester and Ipswich. I see patients from across Essex and Suffolk. My main private practice is at The Oaks, Colchester and the Nash Basildon Private Unit at The Essex Cardiothoracic Centre, Basildon. I have been a Consultant Cardiologist at Colchester Hospital since 2006 and at the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre since it opened in 2007. In April 2010, I became the Clinical Lead for Cardiology at Colchester Hospital. I have led the introduction of many advances in cardiology services, including valve clinics, heart failure services, MRI compatible pacemakers, implantable loop recorders, stress echo, transoesophageal echo, 3D echo and CT coronary angiography. I am accredited in echocardiography with the British Society of Echocardiography and in CT Angiography with the British Society of Cardiovascular Imaging. In 2016, I forged new links between Colchester and Ipswich Hospital's cardiac services, providing specialist cardiac imaging for Ipswich Hospital. In October 2017, I became the Divisional Director for Medicine and Emergency Care at Colchester Hospital. I am passionate about improving patient safety and constantly look to improve both my practice and the standards of care where I work. This is reflected in my patient feedback. I am an active member of the education committee of the British Society of Echocardiography, contributing to guideline development and training programmes - as a result, I was honored with Fellowship of the BSE in 2019.

My practice covers the whole spectrum of adult cardiology including chest pain, breathlessness, heart failure, high blood pressure, murmurs, blackouts and palpitations. I specialise in CT Angiography and Calcium Scoring, Coronary Angiography (radial and femoral), Cardiac imaging, Pacemakers and Echocardiography (transthoracic, transoesophageal, stress and 3D)