Internship Awards on offer to Healthcare Scientists on the Academy Register
Health Education England Northern Region is offering 15 Clinical Academic Training Programme internship awards to Healthcare Scientists who are on the Academy Register or HCPC-registered as part of the delivery of the HEE Research and Innovation Strategy.
The internships are designed to increase the number of staff accessing academic career programmes across all clinical and public health profession. This will provide an introduction into all aspects and roles across clinical academic research from trial design, data management through to undertaking research in a clinical environment. Applications must be submitted by 19 Nov 2014.
Call for abstracts for AHCS Congress
Submissions for poster presentations are being invited for the first Academy for Healthcare Science Congress which will be held on 8-9 December 2014.
As an integral part of the programme there are opportunities for poster presentations that showcase contributions from across the 50+ disciplines of Healthcare Science. Abstracts may be of recent work presented elsewhere and they will be included in the Congress brochure that is to be widely distributed to government departments and healthcare-related organisations.
Free participation in the Congress is offered to all presenters. Closing date for submissions 21 Nov(note revised deadline).
Developing registration and regulation to protect patients
The Academy Practitioner part of the register is now open for application LINK. There are 3 entry routes:
- Graduates of accredited Practitioner Training Programme courses
- A PTP Certificate of Equivalence
- A Certificate of Competence for the Ex-VRC* parts of the register Link
If you are interested in applying but are unsure which route you should follow please contact
(*Ex-VRC includes Genetic Technologists, Tissue Bank Technologists, Anatomical Pathology Technologists and Ophthalmic Science Practitioners)
The Academy is continuing to progress its application for Accreditation of the AHCS Register with the PSA (Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care) as a way of demonstrating the assurance the AHCS Register provides around patient safety. We have had a number of formal visits and meetings with the PSA and are hoping for a decision on our accreditation application in December.
The latest Government Command Paper looking at regulation has identified the AHCS Register as the way forward for those parts of Healthcare Science not currently covered by statutory regulation. The Academy will continue to make the case for statutory regulation for all of Healthcare Science.
AHCS response to the Five Year Forward View
AHCS Chief Executive Janet Monkman has responded to the NHS England Five Year Forward View, welcoming the document that sets out the future plans and strategy for the NHS in England. In the current extremely difficult financial climate for the NHS, it is gratifying that Healthcare Science is recognised by NHS leaders as not only a key part of the quality solution, but through the efficiencies that are the by-products of innovation, part of the financial solution as well.
Key messages from the October 2014 Academy Board
The Academy Board met on 6 Oct 2014. There is a briefing note on the AHCS website which sets out the key messages to Academy stakeholders following that meeting, including updates on governance, Equivalence, the Register and Regulation Council, Quality Assurance, and the ‘One Voice’ work of the Academy.
From around Healthcare Science
Healthcare scientists sought for NICE Clinical Diagnostics Advisory Committee
NICE are recruiting for new members for their Diagnostics Advisory Committee, with applications particularly sought from Healthcare Scientists working in physiology, medical physics or clinical engineering. Closing date for applications 21 Nov.
Healthcare Scientist elected MP for Heywood and Middleton
Congratulations to go to senior biochemist Liz McInnes who has just been elected to be the new MP for Heywood and Middleton, Greater Manchester. Liz has worked as a Clinical Scientist at Pennine Acute NHS Trust and has served on the national Healthcare Science Committee for Unite the Union.
UK meeting brings together leaders from across Healthcare Science
Senior Healthcare Scientists from across the four countries of the UK are invited to attend a joint meeting in Edinburgh on 21 Nov 2014 to look at current leadership issues within the Profession. It will offer an opportunity to reflect on the perspective of others of Healthcare Science, and to debate the barriers and opportunities for the senior workforce in these roles.
Call for scientists to work in Africa on Ebola testing
The Department of Health and Public Health England have put out a call to Healthcare Scientists support the UK’s efforts to tackle the Ebola epidemic in Africa. Professionals with experience of PCR testing are asked to come forward for 6 week detachments, under secondment arrangements from their host organisations.
Latest Scottish Healthcare Science update
Edition 8 of the Healthcare Science Notice Board – the newsletter produced by NHS Education for Scotland, is now available from the NES website. This covers upcoming events for Healthcare Science in Scotland, postgraduate development, details of the NES project with the Academy for Healthcare Science and Scottish Government matters.
Major consultation on Stereotactic Radiotherapy provision
NHS England is consulting on proposed changes to the way in which stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy services are commissioned, with a preferred future option of delivering the service through 6-12 centres, seven days a week. Closing date 26 Jan 2015.
Guide to national Bacteriology reference labs updated
Public Health England has updated its guide to the services from four national bacteriology reference laboratories based at Colindale, London. National monitoring by PHE has shown that antibiotic usage increased by 6% between 2010-2013 and levels of antibiotic resistance are up.
HSJ names CSO in top 100 Clinical Leaders
The Chief Scientific Officer, Professor Sue Hill OBE, was named as one of the country’s top 100 Clinical Leaders in the prestigious Health Service Journal list for 2014.
Latest issue of Screening Matters now available
Issue 19 of Screening Matters – the newsletter of the UK National Screening Committee – is now available. This has updates on lessons learned from serious incidents, current and future consultations on possible new screening programmes and updates from the current programmes.
