New training and
education programme introduced for the scientific workforce in genetics
A new education
programme has been developed to provide enhanced training in
genetic technologies and clinical applications for healthcare
scientists working in laboratory genetics, Health Minister Ann
Keen announced today.
This pilot is part of the UK Modernising Scientific Careers (MSC)
programme which is transforming education, training and career
pathways for the healthcare science workforce.
The pilot funded by the Department of Health is investing over
£4.5 million to address the training needs of the healthcare
science workforce in genetics.
The new pilot will:
Respond to future workforce needs, which has increased
significantly in the last ten years as scientific discoveries have
created new opportunities to diagnose and predict disease;Inform
the roll out of the MSC programme for other healthcare science
training programmes which will begin in 2010 with full
implementation in 2012;Establish a national School of Genetics in
the West Midlands; and Modernise the genetics curricula to respond
to breakthrough scientific advances and their applications for
patients and the public.
Health Minister Ann Keen said:
“Science and innovation are at the heart of high quality
healthcare for patients in the 21st century, underpinning the
development of new diagnostics and treatments which have a major
impact on the health and social care system.
“Geneticists carry out life informing work by predicting and
diagnosing disease so it is fundamental that we invest in creating
training and career opportunities for this important group of NHS staff".
“This pilot will also inform the Modernising Scientific Careers
programme as it moves to implementation as well as creating a high
quality healthcare science workforce which will make the benefits
of science and technology a reality for patients.”
Professor Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer for the Department
of Health said:
“This will give trainees modernised education and training
focussed on the advances in genetic technology and knowledge to
ensure delivery of leading edge services for patients and the
public. It also supports the delivery of the NHS Next Stage Review
commitments putting high quality care, innovation and improved
productivity at its core in this fast-moving field.
“I look forward to working with those involved in the pilot and
to consulting with MSC stakeholders as it progresses.”
Peter Blythin, Director of Nursing and Workforce at NHS West
Midlands said:
“We are delighted to be hosting and establishing a national
School of Genetics here in the West Midlands and to be part of
such a groundbreaking pilot scheme that will ultimately deliver
leading edge services for patients and the public.”
The pilot programme, to begin in October 2009, will fund 24 pilot
training posts for 12 trainee Healthcare Science Practitioners and
12 Healthcare Scientists in Genetics. The trainees will be based
in a number of NHS genetics departments throughout England and
will be brought together for national training events and courses.
NHS West Midlands has agreed to host the process for all the SHAs involved.
Notes to Editors
1. For media enquires please contact the Department of Health
Press Office on 0207 210 5221.
2. Modernising Scientific Careers (MSC) is
the national operating policy, which relates to the scientific and
technical workforce. Modernising Scientific Careers (MSC) is the
programme within Modernising Healthcare Careers, which aims to
transform the scientific and technical workforce. It is a bold and
ambitious programme to transform education, training and career
pathways to deliver a world class Healthcare Science (HCS)
workforce across over 50 scientific disciplines. This workforce
will be critical in delivering the vision outlined in the Next
Stage Review (NSR) in summer 2008 and was initially set out
and endorsed by A High Quality Workforce.
3. The MSC programme involves the development of a new career
pathway, which creates a common training and career route for all
scientific and technical disciplines while still recognising and
maintaining the needs of individual disciplines. Healthcare
Science Assistants (HCSA) training, Healthcare Scientist
Practitioner (HCSP) training through the Practitioner Training
Programme (PTP), the Scientist Training Programme (STP), Higher
Specialist Scientific Training (HSST) and Accredited Specialist
Expertise (ASE) are all included in the model. The details of the
model can be found in ‘The Future of the Healthcare Science
Workforce Modernising Scientific Careers: The Next Steps’
(Gateway ref 10913).
4. Infrastructure for the pilot will be managed through the
establishment of a National Training School for Genetics, based
for this cohort of trainees, in NHS West Midlands. The role of the
School will be to:
Co-ordinate the national programme Bring the trainees together
and run national learning events Ensure that the work based
curriculum within the pilot is appropriate, delivered to the
required standard and is quality assured Ensure sufficient,
adequately prepared trainers, supervisors and assessors are
available for the pilot Ensure that the assessment processes
within the pilot fulfil national requirementsAlong with the host
Trust and Genetics Department, provide pastoral care for trainees
5. The successful chosen pilot sites are:-
TRUST
LOCATIONPTPSTPSHAGuy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation
Trust20LONDONNE Thames Regional Genetics Service, Great
Ormond Street Hospital NHS TrustAND NORTHWICK PARK NHS TRUST
1 2LONDONSOUTHMEAD HOSPTIAL, BRISTOL12SOUTH WESTLiverpool
Women’s NHS Foundation Trust20NORTH WEST East Anglian
Medical Genetics Service, ADDENBROOKES HOSPITAL20EAST OF
ENGLANDInstitute of Human Genetics The Newcastle Upon Tyne
Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 12NORTH EAST Oxford
Radcliffe Hospitals NHS TrustGenetics Laboratories 20SOUTH
WESTThe Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustDiagnostic and
Therapeutic Services Division AND Sheffield Laboratories,
Sheffield Childrens Foundation NHS Trust 1 4 YORKSHIRE AND
HUMBERSIDE |
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk