Minutes

HENE Healthcare Science Sub Group
Date: 07 May, 2013 / Time: 10.00 am – 12.00 noon / Venue: Infinity Room, W4
Members of meeting: Chair: Chris Eggett CE (NUTH),
Emma Bowers EJB (HENE/NUTH), Mike Carr MC (Northumbria H’care), Jacqueline Colwill JC (STFT), Gill Cresswell GC (HENE/NUTH), Tony Gibson TG (HENE/DH), Bernard Groen BG (HENE), Joanna McDonald JM (CHS), Tina Porter TP (S.Tees),David Richley DR (HENE/S.Tees)
By Invitation: John Magee (Public Health England)
Judith Kuit (SunderlandUniversity)
Suzanne Vernazza (GHNT)
Secretary: Caroline Richardson (HENE) / Apologies: Phil Johnson (GHNT),
Iain Chambers (S. Tees)
Non Attendance: Ed Brown (CHSFT), Elaine Criddle (STFT), Lisa Johnston (CHSFT), Stuart Montgomery (NTH), Chris Shaw (CDDFT)
Item No. / Discussion / Action
1 / Welcome and introductions
Jacqueline Colwill was welcomed as the new Trust representative from South Tyneside.
Apologies were noted as listed
2 / Minutes of Previous Meeting (05/03/13)
EB requested the initials EJB be used for her name for actions etc to avoid confusion and (HENE/NUTH) should appear after her name on the attendees list.
The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a true record subject to the following amendments:
Item 3 HSST : Should read “Royal Colleges”
Item 5 STP Business Case : Item 2 should read “EJB is putting together a Memorandum of Understanding which may be applicable for the other three strands.”
There were no matters arising.
3 / HSC Training Programme Updates
ATP
Development of 10 new roles for Career Framework 2-4 outlined.
  • Using modular framework to check that there are sufficient units for those roles
  • Linked to Apprenticeship framework
  • Steering Group meeting planned for 08 May
  • Four working groups have been set up
  1. Pilot
  2. FD Development (to include Sunderland and TeessideUniversities)
  3. FD Delivery
  4. Apprenticeshio to level 4 delivery
and Pilots for 1, 2 and 4 start in June
  • Ofqual December 2013 and project complete December 2014
  • Commissioning and costs have not yet been discussed
  • Within the framework for support workers Life Sciences IBMS part 1 and 2 have been released for enrolment and funding may be available through the School of Vocational Excellence
  • Introduction to HCS pilot at Sunderland is not being offered as a full course and will finish May/June this year.
PTP
GC/DM/BG attended a Strategic Meeting on 24/04/13 when discussion was held on areas of difficulty
  • Lack of interest from students
  • Promotion and publicity for the course
  • Attractiveness of course – excess mileage is now being offered
  • Clear and robust plan for programme delivery required from SunderlandUniversity
  • Partnership working to ensure that current students are not jeopardised
GC will report back on progress at the next meeting.
EJB to attend a meeting with the University of Cumbria to discuss PTP accreditation for Medical Physics, following which a paper may be circulated.
Variations in funding/assistance across the country was discussed and the following points were noted:
  • Placement costs of £44 per week is offered in some areas
  • A picture of funding is being drawn up nationally
  • Possibility of PTP funding being taken back into MPET funding under consideration
  • Trusts are currently struggling to provide training for PTP students
  • This is a standing item at the MSC Leads Meeting
BG confirmed that Sunderland is currently the only University offering PTP in the region although there is interest from Cumbria and Northumbria if funding improved.
Discussion held on possible start up in 2014 of Assistant / Associate training routes within the Modernising Scientific Careers framework and what should be instigated now to prepare for these new routes.
  • Trusts to be encouraged to take on board apprenticeships for Healthcare Science
  • Challenge is to make sure that the Trusts are aware of the pathway
  • Promote qualification from apprenticeship
STP
EJB reported on her recent involvement in national interviews:
  • Concern that some good scientists are being missed due to the interview procedure although candidates think it is fair
  • STP Trainers have now been allocated for October
  • Need to look at attracting more candidates to the North East as currently the main attraction is the South and London although training is not as good as the North East
  • A stronger relationship with the Physics Department at DurhamUniversityis being formed
General discussion followed and it was noted:
  • Physiological Science - final numbers for 2013 intake and allocation to NewcastleUniversityyet to be confirmed by West Midlands (there are two in service trainees from the North East).
  • Critical Care Science is a new specialism within the Cardiovascular Respiratory route commencing in Sept 2013. It is likely that this specialist subject will be delivered in Manchester
  • Bids to run two new strands within the STP have been submitted by the Newcastle / SunderlandUniversity consortium (Bioinformatics and Clinical Pharmaceutical Science).
  • Deadline for business case submission is 26 June for 2014 intake, any help and advice needed contact BG.
HSST
Work is ongoing to develop this route, including preparation of specialist curricula in conjunction with various Royal Colleges. / GC
4 / Public Health England Representation
Professor John Magee from Public Health England joined the meeting and gave a presentation on Microbiology Services in the North East.
Recruitment, education and training was discussed:
  • Majority of the current 47 staff are Biomedical Scientists recruited through NHS Net
  • Staff also include 3 Medical and 3 senior Clinical Scientists
  • Work with Northumbria and Sunderland to take students doing work placements
  • Have had no vacancies for 2/3 years
  • All staff except administration do forms of CPD
  • Currently 3 staff doing Masters at Northumbria
  • Some gaps exist in the education training pathways which will be discussed with TG
Discussion on PH representation on the Sub Group was held. Professor Magee confirmed that he was comfortable with the current communication arrangements with GC although would be happy to attend any future meeting to discuss agenda items as necessary.
Professor Magee left the meeting.
5 / Foundation Degree : Top Up Degree : Point of Care Testing Facility
Judith Kuit from SunderlandUniversity joined the meeting and gave a presentation on the Faculty of Applied Sciences at SunderlandUniversity. The presentation was distributed to the attendees including the Foundation and Top Up Degree proposals.
TP left the meeting.
JK stated that SunderlandUniversity would need to know by the end of the 1st week in July if the Healthcare Science sub group has any intent regarding the Foundation Degree. Discussion followed with the following points being noted:
  • We need to ask how services are developing and what support the group would need to give
  • Is there a demand in your organisation for the service of a Foundation Degree as proposed by University of Sunderland?
  • Would it be useful to invest in Foundation Degree?
  • JM stated it would be useful as it would allow people to progress towards higher levels of the new MSC career pathway
  • BG noted that the Sunderland deadline would not apply as if central funding was agreed then it would have to go to tender
  • DR informed that the ‘top up’ programme would probably only need to run for 2 courses at most
Judith Kuit left the meeting.
JM requested clarification on the method of informing the Trusts to which BG responded:
  • Information is cascaded from Sub Groups → Partnership Board → LETB Board
  • Some Trusts are represented on the Board and some chose not to, so information is not cascaded to those not represented
  • Healthcare Science has been discussed at Board level and we need to follow procedures formally. If the group identify an issue which needs addressing it will go up from the group via CE to the Board.
The way forward with the Foundation and Top Up Degree was discussed and it was agreed
  • Need to summarise and communicate action points to the Trusts related to the demand for Foundation Degree and Top Up Degree so that we can make an informed decision for presentation to the Board
Action: CE to write to the HR Directors to inform them that contact may be made by their Healthcare Scientist representatives.
GC noted that Newcastle Trust are already considering the ‘top-up’ programme and feedback is awaited. / CE
6 / 7 Day Working
TG introduced Suzanne Vernazza who is carrying out a survey across Healthcare Science to gather information on 7 Day Working. The link to the survey will be sent out to the group together with the recent update sheet on the DH report. / SV/CER
7 / Immunology Training Strategy
Immunology Training Strategy is to be discussed at a forthcoming meeting to be attended by CE/BG/GC and two Immunologists:
  • Data has been gathered on Immunology Training Posts and the difficulty in filling them
  • Training of Scientific staff in Immunology to be discussed with the Deanery.
MC informed that Cumbria Healthcare have already submitted an STP business case to Health Education North West.
8 / Any Other Business
  • Ten Top Tips for Commissioning Healthcare Science and to Overcome the Challenge of Commissioning Diagnostic Services have been produced and will be shared with the group.
  • COGENT Awards Ceremony on 16 May in London and Point of Care Action Learning Set is proposed for an award,
  • GC and BG organised a Next Generation Sequencing meeting to discuss a scoping exercise for Life Sciences which will have a major impact on Workforce Planning in 5/10 years’ time. A Task and Finish Group is to be set up to follow up development in the North East and report back to Healthcare Science Sub Group.
Actions:
  • Ten Top Tips to be circulated
  • Notes from Next Generation Sequencing Meeting to be circulated
/ SV/CER
GC/CER
Future agenda items
Details of future meetings
Tues. 02 July : 10.00 – 12.00 : Angel Room / Tues. 03 Sept. : 10.00 – 12.00 : Angel Room
Tues. 05 Nov. : 10.00 – 12.00 : Angel Room