1. The Career Framework
nine steps to heaven?
Eddie cochran

2. Overview What do the all the letters mean!
Basic introduction to NOS/NWC, Career framework, KSF
Work competed by ACE so far

3. Confused!
‘Had that women said that in Swahili I would have understood it more!’
Allan Pacey – Padnel Grange Sept 2005
Matts quote not repeatable!!

4. Healthcare Scientist Career Pathway
Consultant
Director
      
Consultant
Practitioner
Advanced
Practitioner
Specialist
Practitioner
Practitioner
Associate
Practitioner
Senior
Assistant
Healthcare Scientist Career Pathway
Assistant
1-2

5. Initial Entry Level Jobs - Level 1
Such as 'Domestics' or 'Cadets' requiring very little formal education or previous knowledge, skills or experience in delivering, or supporting the delivery of healthcare
Support Workers - Level 2
Frequently with the job title of 'Healthcare Assistant' or 'Healthcare Technician' - probably studying for or has attained NVQ Level 2.
Senior Healthcare Assistants/Technicians - Level 3
Have a higher level of responsibility than support worker, probably studying for, or have attained NVQ level 3, or Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
Assistant Practitioners/Associate Practitioners - Level 4
Probably studying for foundation degree, BTEC higher or HND. Some of their remit will involve them in delivering protocol-based clinical care that had previously been in the remit of registered professionals, under the direction and supervision of a state registered practitioner.

6. Senior Practitioners/Specialist Practitioners - Level 6
Most frequently registered practitioners in their first and second post-registration/professional qualification jobs.
Senior Practitioners/Specialist Practitioners - Level 6
Staff who would have a higher degree of autonomy and responsibility than 'Practitioners' in the clinical environment, or who would be managing one or more service areas in the non-clinical environment
Advanced Practitioners - Level 7
Experienced clinical professionals who have developed their skills and theoretical knowledge to a very high standard. They are empowered to make high-level clinical decisions and will often have their own caseload. Non-clinical staff at Level 7 will typically be managing a number of service areas.
Consultant Practitioners- Level 8
Staff working at a very high level of clinical expertise and/or have responsibility for planning of services.
More Senior Staff - Level 9
Staff with the ultimate responsibility for clinical caseload decision making and full on-call accountability.
Moving target! Where do embryologist sit? Debate between 6 and 7? Linked to A4C

7. Progress Achieved by developing skills and attaining qualifications.
This is supported by
the NOS 8 7
Education
ARE NOS and NWC
RC path moving from 7 to 8, along with demonstrating competency. 6
Training
Competence

8. NOS / NWC National Occupational Standards (NOS)
National Workforce Competencies (NWC)

9. What is a competency (NOS)
Defines the
Knowledge
Understanding
Skill
required to perform a specific task.
Represent good practice.

10. What do the NOS/NWC cover?
all NHS organisations,
the private,
independent and
voluntary services
Cover three main areas:
Service delivery
Management of services
Commissioning services
The Healthcare Science NOS and NWC apply across the whole of the healthcare sector including all NHS organisations, the private, independent and voluntary services
Logos

11. NOS Competencies exist as: Generic (common across all disciplines)
(relevant to more than one discipline ie andrology / embryology)
Specific
NOS – think of them as building blocks

12. Generic NOS Generic NOS (selection relevant to individual roles)
Function A
Prepare equipment for clinical use
Function B
Develop protocols and procedures
Function C
Co-ordinate handling of specimens
Function D
Interpret and report results of investigations
Function E
Maintain health, safety and security in the workplace
Function F
Manage the quality and delivery of services
Function G
Train and develop Healthcare science staff
Function H
Research and Develop new Healthcare Science services
Function I
Support patients pre, during and post investigation
Function J
Advise and inform patients, carers, colleagues and others

13. NOS Discipline specific - embryology
2001
Updated by exec / tc representatives Sept 2005
DH workshop attended where the NOS were signed off
Now published –
Vicki Lamb gave a presentation at Liverpool – Also in Human Fertility (march 2005)
Time line DH started, first workshops

14. Ensure quality and safety of embryology services
CE1 Prepare environment for culture of gametes, tissues and embryos
CE2 Maintain viability of gametes, tissues and embryos during processing
CE3 Comply with internal and external requirements and regulations
Develop embryos for preservation and transfer
CE4 Obtain gametes and tissues for processing
CE5 Assess suitability of gametes
CE6 Prepare gametes
CE7 Facilitate fertilisation of oocytes in vitro
CE8 Assess embryo development and select embryos for transfer, cryopreservation, research or other intended use
CE9 Preserve gametes, tissues and embryos for future use
CE10 Thaw cryopreserved gametes, tissues and embryos
CE11 Facilitate embryo hatching
CE12 Perform embryo biopsy
CE13 Transfer gametes or embryos to patient
Maintain cryobanks – COMMON NOS FOR OTHER LIFE SCIENCES
CE14 Monitor cryobanks
CE15 Manage cryobanks
Clinical Embryology
Deliver laboratory services for assisted conception treatments

15. Prepare environment for culture of gametes, tissues and embryos
Ref no.
CE1
Title
Prepare environment for culture of gametes, tissues and embryos
OVERVIEW
This standard relates to the preparation of workstation, equipment, culture media and consumables in readiness for culture. This includes calibration and checking of suitable equipment, preparation of culture media and quality control procedures.
You must be able to:
You must know and understand:
Ensure workstation is clinically clean and complies with minimum standards of temperature and air quality.
Confirm the intended purpose of the planned procedure.
Apply aseptic techniques to all aspects of preparation
Select, set and check that all equipment is working optimally.
Prepare suitable culture medium for the handling and culture of gametes and embryos.
Prepare suitable containers with medium for embryo culture.
Ensure sufficient supply of consumables and media.
Ensure that all batches of consumables are fit for purpose
Complete all inventories and records accurately and at a sufficient level of detail.
Relevant and current protocols and their correct interpretation.
Relevant and current regulations, guidelines and health and safety requirements.
Range and correct operation of equipment.
Capabilities and limitations of equipment.
Range and correct handling of consumables, chemicals and media.
Risks associated with equipment, consumables, chemicals and media and associated control measures.
Types of culture media and their applications.
The significance of sterility of consumables and media.
Care, maintenance and cleaning of equipment.
Range of embryo culture systems.
Decontamination procedures.
Appropriate action in the event of equipment failure.
Appropriate action in the event of failure of a batch during testing.
Appropriate action in the event of difficulties.
Records required with correct completion and processing

16. What can competences be used for
individual development / appraisal
team development
role design
role re-design
service design e.g. new build/service
education programme / curriculum design
evidence gathering for KSF post outlines
Commissioners and healthcare science departments can use the NOS to ensure that they have a competent workforce and that everyone has the skills and knowledge to deliver services to the required standards. Can map the nos against a patient pathway and redesign the service to determine what staff are needed and at what levels to complete the process.

17. Roles
A role can be made up by grouping different competencies together
Generic
Common
Specific
Clinical Embryologist

18. Generic Common Embryology Clinical Chemistry Andrology
Roles
Embryologist performing blood assays
Embryologist with Andrology duties
Generic Common Embryology Clinical Chemistry Andrology

19. Work completed by ACE Workshop NOS Role descriptors Career pathway
Assessment guidance for NOS
Not sure what is happening with these documents

20. General Descriptor of Responsibilities
Role descriptors
allocate a role against the career framework
e.g clinical embryologist
Discipline
Clinical Embryology
Stage
Six
Role number
Role Title
General Descriptor of Responsibilities 1
Clinical Embryologist (Specialist Scientist)
Clinical Scientist performing a complex range of assisted reproductive technologies, and providing scientific insight and expertise to the multi-disciplinary team; the specialist clinical embryologist directly impacts patient treatment by making clinical decisions with a high degree of autonomy; supervises the IVF laboratory practitioners.

21. Career pathway
Map which NOS relevant to role
?qualifications required for entry and exit points

22. 3. Assessment guidance for NOS
Define how each NOS are to be assessed
Draft
Not sure if these will now be used? Skills for health plan to unbundle the nos to use for education purposes

23. Knowledge and Skills Framework
Basic KSF
Knowledge and Skills Framework
A KSF post outline describes the knowledge and skills expected of staff required for a particular job
It provides a framework on which to base review and development for all staff

24. KSF
NOS provide an indicative link to the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF)
The two systems complement each other.
Becoming competent in a NOS can be used to as evidence as part of an individual’s Personal Development Plan to support their progression.

25. What next Skills for health
‘Unbundle’ the ‘NOS’ for education purposes
Andrology – first draft

26. Occupational Competencies
TRAINING MODULE
OCCUPATIONAL COMPETENCY
MODULE 1
Obtain specimens
AND1 – Obtain specimens for diagnosis or treatment
AND2 – Prepare environment for handling specimens
Perform diagnostic testing
AND3 – Maintain viability of sperm during handling
AND4 – Perform diagnostic semen analysis
MODULE 2
Regulation
AND5 – Comply with internal and external requirements and regulations
MODULE 3
Cryopreservation, sperm preparation and ART
AND6 – Prepare sperm for therapeutic insemination
AND7 – Cryopreserve and Thaw sperm
MODULE 4
Process clients for sperm cryopreservation
AND8 – Process and counsel patients for therapeutic sperm banking
AND9 – Recruitment and selection of sperm donors
MODULE 5 (Cryoservices)
Maintain and manage sperm cryobanks
AND10 – Monitor cryobanks
AND11 – Manage cryobanks
MODULE 6
Perform advanced sperm function tests
AND12 – Test advanced functions of sperm and analyse semen biochemistry
Andrology
Occupational Competencies
Deliver Laboratory services for semen analysis, processing and preservation

27. Nine steps to heaven? So according to the song, steps to heaven
Step one, you find a girl to love
Step two, she falls in love with you
Step three, you hold her tightly
? Should it be
Step 4 you become an embryologist
? Step 5 and above – will have to wait and see!
Going back to the title

28. Skills for Health