Modernising Scientific Careers
By Gillian Jaggar
MSc CSci FIBMS
May 2011
What is MSC?
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“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?
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Rapid advances in science technology
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Changing patient demographics
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↑ age
↑ Diseases of modern lifestyle
Obesity, diabetes
Standardise training across HCS workforce
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7 days a week
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
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↓Pay costs
£250 million/annum
Who will it affect?
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All HCS workforce of which Biomedical
Scientists are largest groups
51 staff groups
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BMS
Audiologist
Renal technologists
Medical physicists
Vascular perfusionists
Cardiac physiologists
Sleep/respiratory physicists
Main staff groups
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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
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Healthcare Science Assistants
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Healthcare Science Practitioner
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Foundation Degree
BSc Hons Healthcare Science
Healthcare Scientist
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Scientist training programme
MSc Healthcare Science (Masters degree)
Life science framework
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Degrees will run in themes not disciplines
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Cardiovascular Science
Neurosensory Science
Medical Physics Science
Clinical Engineering
Life Science
Subdivided into specialisms
Life Science Specialisms
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Genetics Science
Blood Science
Infection Science
Cellular Science
Foundation degree-from September 2012
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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
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3 year integrated degree
Placement in each year (not funded as yet)
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Year 1-10 weeks
Year 2-15 weeks
Year 3-25 weeks
BSc Hons HCS Life Science
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Blood Science
Infection Science
Cellular Science
Genetics Science
Cost to student for a 10 week placement
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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
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No opportunity for employment
BSc Curriculum-Cellular Science
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Year 1
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Year 2
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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
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
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Cellular science specialisms in action-60 credits
Research project-30 credits
Specialist work based training-20 credits
Framework continued
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Scientist Training (funded by SHA)
MSc HCS Life Science
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Blood Science
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Infection Science
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Microbiology
Infection control
Virology
mycology
Cellular Science
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Biochemistry
Haematology
Immunology
Genetics
Histopathology
Cytology
Reproductive Science
Genetics
Genetics
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Cellular
Blood
What’s happening-University
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Bradford supported by Y+H SHA
10 HCS students each in:
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Genetics Science-Practitioner training
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Foundation degree-HCS Assistant training
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From September 2010
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
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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?
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Leeds have agreed to take 2 students
Sheffield at the 11th hour agreed to take another
 2 in total
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Information about problems securing placement was fed back to
MSC team
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1x students failed January exams- withdrawn from course
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Pre-placement training
On-line assessment tool
Training manual
CRB checks
Vaccinations
Placement starts 23rd May
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The future BSc Life Sciences
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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
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200 places across all disciplines nationally
 Life Science Y+H
 2 immunology
 2 genetics
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MSc level
September 2011 start!!!!!!
Fully funded by SHA
Supernumerary
BMS’s in post will have to resign
Competitive entry
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Curriculum end January
Tendering February
Interviews March
180 offers -70% PhD qualified
The Future Scientist Training Programme
MSc
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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?
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Representative on local MSC Implementation
Group
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HR support
Robust training arrangements
Up to date/comprehensive training materials
Training qualifications for WPS/mentors
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University Train the Trainers
University Clinical tutors days
Other training qualifications
On-line assessment tool
Proposals for Regulation- HCS Regulation
Liaison group
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Two tier
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Clinical Scientist will transfer onto HC Scientist
register
BMS who demonstrate equivalence will also transfer
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HCS Practitioner
Healthcare Scientist
Maybe a voluntary register
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
www.nwhcs.nhs.uk
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Chiefprofessionalofficers/
Chiefscientificofficer/DH_123755