Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Genetic Counsellor Registration Board (GCRB) Annual Review Kathy Barnes (Chair)

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Genetic Counsellor Registration Board (GCRB) 2009 Members: Kathy Barnes (Chair) – Teesside Anna Middleton (V.Chair)– Cardiff Lesley Snadden – Glasgow Aoife Bradley – Belfast Jan Moore – Birmingham Barbara Stayner – Oxford Lorna McLeish - Dundee Associate Members: Heather Skirton Frances Elmslie Michael Davidson

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) GCRB Administrator Maureen Taylor, Wessex Please inform Maureen of any change of address (necessary for renewal of registration and other matters requiring contact) Essential to keep up to date records of all registered genetic counsellors

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Registration Showing commitment to robust professional standards Constantly revising and examining guidelines and outcomes New registration now an annual event

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Renewal of Registration Revised guidelines (references and CPD only required) Takes place in May Audit of 20% of CPD portfolios. Those selected will be informed after May

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Assessing and Mentoring GCRB grateful to AGNC for supporting this training Training days this year 18 –19 May Thanks to Diana Scotcher, Annette Robinson and Jan Moore Training is updated in response to feedback

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Terms of Reference Only UK registered genetic counsellors eligible to vote for new board members

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Terms of Reference Updated TOR: all GCRB members must be registered and include: Two with statutory professional registration Two with GCRB approved MSc in genetic counselling Three other UK registered genetic counsellors

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Recent Developments Website under development – with online register of GC’s Increase of fees for registration in line with HPC and other UK Boards and also increasing GCRB costs

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Recent developments Reviewing entry level criteria So that it is in line with HPC So that it is in line with International standards for registration as a GC

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Science Course Announced to membership in BSHG News in 2006, forewarned that this would be implemented in 2010

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Science Course Added to eligibility to register criteria Only relevant to people who haven’t completed MSc Genetic Counselling From 2010 all people who don’t have an MSc must complete a 30-hour course in human genetics (we already ask for completion of 90 guided learning hours of counselling training)

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Why add a Science Course? Non-MSc GCs do not have parity in scientific training to MSc GCs When the Reciprocity of Registration WG approached overseas Boards to see if they would accept our UK registration abroad - the answer was no - as in the UK we had no requirement for non-MSc GCs to do any science

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Why add a Science Course? Equally we did not demand similar standards from non-MSc GC’s wishing to work here By adding a science course our registration is more likely to be accepted overseas, which will make it easier to work abroad But most importantly this change places our registration requirements in line with international standards

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) What sort of Science course The GCRB do not recommend courses at the moment (in future will accredit courses) Science courses are available, eg via Gene Parks, and the Board would be happy to advise anyone who requires guidance about the suitability of a course Courses can also be completed online

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) To Finish We have made great progress towards Genetic Counselling becoming a ‘stand alone’ profession, with an impressive and robust voluntary register Those who register put in an enormous effort to complete portfolios Please do contact us if you have questions or concerns

Ensuring expertise to serve families with genetic conditions A company Limited by Guarantee (Number ) Genetic Counsellor Registration Board (GCRB) THANK YOU