Meeting 29-05-15

5 / Quality management of HCS Training AG4 DISCUSSION NOTE 3 / Rob Farley

5.1 Since 2010, Modernising Scientific Careers, a UK-level project for healthcare science training, has introduced new curricula at all career-levels – but particularly for postgraduates undertaking the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP). A deanery-like agency, the National School for Healthcare Science has been established in England to recruit and then monitor these STP trainees throughout their masters-level three-year development. STP Curricula are arranged in ‘themes’ (blood sciences, genetics, neurosensory sciences and so on), with trainees undertaking specialty rotations to give a broad scientific appreciation of their theme before committing to a particular specialty (biochemistry, radiotherapy physics, cardiac physiology and so on). There is also a suite of corresponding doctoral-level curricula for consultant clinical scientist-level training termed Higher Specialist Scientific Training (HSST) which is backed by medical royal colleges and leads to fellowship of the associated royal college.

5.2 Without a credible and robust quality management system in Scotland for trainee admissions and practice placement, STP trainees in Scotland will not be able to register as Clinical Scientists with the regulator – irrespective of individual merit. Essentially we now require a deanery-like function to underpin postgraduate scientist training in Scotland.

5.3 Departments supporting other types of HCS postgraduate trainee, (i.e. out with STP), are not ‘obliged’ to demonstrate participation in this type of training quality management, but our soundings strongly indicate that difficulties could arise for individuals attempting equivalence applications from departments below our proposed threshold. Therefore, we intend to require any department taking NES sponsorship to adhere to our quality management monitoring. We have a plan and self-assessment template to address this need. Training leads are broadly positive about the development.

5.4 We are in dialogue with The National School for Healthcare Science and with The Academy for Healthcare Science about our proposed approach: they are also supportive of it and both have given constructive advice on a way forward. We anticipate a 3-way memorandum of understanding between the School, the Academy and NES – to clarify roles, information sharing and response to any training deficiencies.

Advice sought

Consideration and comment about of the principles underpinning this quality management approach are requested. Located on Knowledge network – see Quality management of training by NES at

Admissions Principles – Draft

Practice Placement Principles - Draft

Special Measures – Draft (linked to item 8 Trainees-in-difficulty)

Placement Self Assessment – spreadsheet