Modernising Scientific Careers By Gillian Jaggar MSc CSci FIBMS May 2011

What is MSC? “UK wide education and training strategy for the whole of Healthcare Science” “Clear coherent career pathway for the HCS workforce” “Trainees will have high quality training and better job prospects”

Why change? Rapid advances in science technology  7 days a week Changing patient demographics  ↑ age  ↑ Diseases of modern lifestyle  Obesity, diabetes Standardise training across HCS workforce  Align career pathways with other HCS workforce  59 different routes of entry to HCS professions Lack of structured training for HCS assistants and HCS associate practitioner Save money for NHS  ↓Pay costs  £250 million/annum

Who will it affect? All HCS workforce of which Biomedical Scientists are largest groups 51 staff groups  BMS  Audiologist  Renal technologists  Medical physicists  Vascular perfusionists  Cardiac physiologists  Sleep/respiratory physicists

Main staff groups Healthcare Science Assistants  Career framework band 1-4 Healthcare Science Practitioners  Career framework band 5-6 Healthcare Scientists  Career framework band 5-9

MSC-The vision

Education and training framework within MSC: HCS Education and Training Board Healthcare Science Assistants  Foundation Degree Healthcare Science Practitioner  BSc Hons Healthcare Science Healthcare Scientist  Scientist training programme  MSc Healthcare Science (Masters degree)

Life science framework Degrees will run in themes not disciplines  Cardiovascular Science  Neurosensory Science  Medical Physics Science  Clinical Engineering  Life Science Subdivided into specialisms

Life Science Specialisms Genetics Science Blood Science Infection Science Cellular Science

Foundation degree-from September 2012 Qualification for Associate Practitioner/Health Care Scientist Assistants (MSC Red box) 2 year part-time Generic for all life science disciplines Opportunity to top up to honours degree Possibly funded by SHA Must be employed in NHS

Practitioner training BSc Hons degree 3 year integrated degree Placement in each year (not funded as yet)  Year 1-10 weeks  Year 2-15 weeks  Year 3-25 weeks BSc Hons HCS Life Science  Blood Science  Infection Science  Cellular Science  Genetics Science

Cost to student for a 10 week placement CRB check Vaccination programme Travel/accommodation On-line assessment tool £1000 minimum per 10 week placement No Funding from Yorkshire and Humber SHA/DoH Plans to standardise funding nationally Placement over the summer  No opportunity for employment

BSc Curriculum-Cellular Science Year 1 Professional practice-10 credits Scientific basis of healthcare-60 credits Building blocks of life-20 credits Science behind the cure-30 credits Specialist work based training-10 credits Year 2 Pathology and laboratory medicine—60 credits Research methods-10 credits Partners in investigation-10 credits Cellular science in health and disease-20 credits Specialist work based training-10 credits Year 3 Cellular science specialisms in action-60 credits Research project-30 credits Specialist work based training-20 credits

Framework continued Scientist Training (funded by SHA) MSc HCS Life Science  Blood Science Biochemistry Haematology Immunology Genetics  Infection Science Microbiology Infection control Virology mycology  Cellular Science Histopathology Cytology Reproductive Science Genetics  Genetics Cellular Blood

What’s happening-University Bradford supported by Y+H SHA 10 HCS students each in: Genetics Science-Practitioner training  From September 2010 Foundation degree-HCS Assistant training  From September 2012 It is the university’s intention to deliver the other HCS disciplines from September 2011

Genetics degree- Approved by MSC Education and Training Board and MEE 8 offers of placements in genetics labs nationally Too late to advertise through UCAS Contacted applicants by letter prior to A level results  2 expressions of interest Recruitment from BMS degree-2010 starters Promoted in university  6 applicants  4 offers Withdrawal of placement offers. Why???  Newcastle and Liverpool Students placed Leeds, Sheffield and 2x Birmingham  2 students declined the offer

Where are we now? Leeds have agreed to take 2 students Sheffield at the 11 th hour agreed to take another  2 in total Information about problems securing placement was fed back to MSC team 1x students failed January exams- withdrawn from course Pre-placement training On-line assessment tool Training manual CRB checks Vaccinations Placement starts 23 rd May

The future BSc Life Sciences Final curriculum Life Sciences (PTP)  Map learning outcomes + approve degree  Placements  Recruitment  On-line assessment tool- final touches for other HCS disciplines  Training manual Regulation  HCS Regulation liaison group Transition  MSc  BMS/Applied BMS degree Alternate routes of entry to the profession Career progression (Blue box) Early adopters  Leeds and Sheffield Y+H MSC Implementation group West Midlands SHA-co-ordination

STP Training programme- Old Clinical Scientist role 200 places across all disciplines nationally  Life Science Y+H  2 immunology  2 genetics MSc level September 2011 start!!!!!! Fully funded by SHA Supernumerary BMS’s in post will have to resign Competitive entry Curriculum end January Tendering February Interviews March 180 offers -70% PhD qualified

The Future Scientist Training Programme MSc STP-Bradford have put in a bid for MSc HCS September 2011 start If successful accreditation/course approval July Modules for CPD/Specialist portfolio MSc for career progression in blue box Experts in their field invited to teach on programme Foundation degree-postponed until 2012

Is your laboratory ready? Representative on local MSC Implementation Group  HR support Robust training arrangements Up to date/comprehensive training materials Training qualifications for WPS/mentors  University Train the Trainers  University Clinical tutors days  Other training qualifications  On-line assessment tool

Proposals for Regulation- HCS Regulation Liaison group Two tier  HCS Practitioner  Healthcare Scientist  Maybe a voluntary register Clinical Scientist will transfer onto HC Scientist register BMS who demonstrate equivalence will also transfer  Will have to demonstrate equivalence  Not all BMS will be able to demonstrate equivalence At some point the BMS register will be closed to all new applicants

Any questions? Useful websites: North West Healthcare Science Network Chiefscientificofficer/DH_123755