1. Academy for Healthcare Science June 2017 Update
David Bennett
Director of Quality
Academy for Healthcare Science
9th June 2017

2. This is what we do

3. AHCS Quality Assurance Framework
PTP & PTP Equivalence
STP Equivalence
AHCS Quality Assurance Framework
Regulation
Accreditation

4. Healthcare Science Practitioners
Academy commissioned by HEE to run a Register for Healthcare Science Practitioners not covered by statutory regulation
Practitioners completing an accredited PTP course (curricula reviewed in 2016) are eligible to apply to join the Academy’s Accredited Register
[Equivalence route also available]
Practitioners completing an HCPC-approved PTP course in Life Sciences are eligible to apply for statutory regulation as Biomedical Scientists

5. AHCS Regulation Council statement
The Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) BSc Hons. in Clinical Physiology has been accredited as meeting PTP standards of education, training and learning outcomes. In future, on successful completion of the course, individuals will be eligible to apply to join the Academy’s accredited PTP register.
GCU conducted an internal programme review in June The recent NSHCS accreditation was on the basis of the degree as it exists after that review, which was what aligned it more fully to the PTP (following a detailed mapping exercise). Therefore students starting in the September 2015 cohort and subsequently are fully aligned and on successful completion of their course are eligible for the AHCS Certificate of Attainment (cohorts 2009 to 2014 should follow the Equivalence route). The differences are not major but they are reasonably significant in that the 2015 review introduced the rotational element to year one, giving students a wider view of healthcare science.
The Academy is content to adopt a similar approach towards any programme accredited by the NSHCS in this way.

6. Apprenticeships
PTP Special Interest Group meeting took place on Monday 3rd April 2017
The level-6 Apprenticeship will be a new route to PTP register
HCS Apprenticeship Standards for levels 2 and 4 previously published. The Academy will provide External Quality Assurance for the End-Point Assessment

7. Apprenticeships by Level
Level 6: Up to 20 universities may run a level-6 apprenticeships (starting Sep 2017).
This is a 3-year course.
Level 4: This is a 2-year course.
Academy External Quality Assurance of the End Point Assessment (EQA of the EPA)
Level 2: Academy EQA of the EPA.
Apprenticeships by Level

8. STP Equivalence (Scientist Training Programme)
Individuals completing an STP course or completing STP Equivalence through the Academy are eligible to apply for Statutory Regulation as Clinical Scientists
The Academy has trained Lay Assessors who participate in all its Equivalence assessments

9. STP CoE External Examiner’s Report
‘The External Examiner is satisfied that the AHCS Equivalence process (STP level) remains robust, fair to applicants and reaches the requisite standard for regulation as a Clinical Scientist.
The AHCS is to be congratulated on improving the professionalism and efficiency of the application process during the year.’
Graham H Beastall, 31 January 2017

10. Academy Equivalence Review in progress
Equivalence News
Academy Equivalence Review in progress
Being undertaken by the AHCS Regulation Council Chair and AHCS Adviser
Aim is to improve user experience, improve efficiency and reduce costs
Academy Professional Leads are helping to shape the new policy
Major Change submission to HCPC

11. Higher Specialist Scientist Register (HSSR)
Route onto AHCS HSSR via Equivalence – applicants demonstrate that their previous training, qualifications and experience reflect the outcomes of Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST). 
Since the relatively new HSST programme takes five years to complete, in the immediate future Equivalence is the only route onto the HSSR.
14 people now on HSS Register
Work in progress to open the system up to further groups

12. Regulation: Patient and public safety
The Academy aims to support patient safety by:
- setting standards
providing assurance to employers and the public
promoting professional recognition &
ensuring that fitness to practise is managed.

13. New expanded AHCS Regulatory Framework
Regulation News
New expanded AHCS Regulatory Framework
Expansion in the Academy’s Accredited Register in 2017
Critical mass will reduce costs
Medical Illustrators incorporated
Under development:
- Credentialing; Apprenticeships Register/Directory

14. The Professional Standards Authority
Annual budget of c. £3.5m; 30 staff
Accountable to the UK Parliament; government-funded
Scrutiny
Annual performance review of the regulatory bodies
Registers
Nine statutory regulators: Health and Care Professions Council,
General Chiropractic Council, General Dental Council, General Medical
Council, General Optical Council, General Osteopathic Council, General
Pharmaceutical Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Pharmaceutical
Society of Northern Ireland
Thirteen ‘voluntary’ registers

15. One Voice
Issues/initiatives that bring Healthcare Scientists together:
Good Science
Science Careers in Schools
Scientific Workforce Planning
(AHCS response to Scottish Government Discussion Document made this week)
Education
Scientists on Boards
AHCS Congress
And joining forces with other professions on issues such as:
Innovation in Primary Care
Obesity
EU Medical Devices Legislation
Free publishing for papers/free access to papers
Better R&D legislation for medical devices/innovation

16. Response to the Scotland National Health and Social Care Workforce Planning consultation
1. Professional bodies were encouraged to respond
2. Excerpts from the Academy’s response:
The broad proposals for workforce planning roles at national, regional and local levels are entirely appropriate.
The Academy supports the intention to move away from silo planning. In this respect a more multi-professional approach will have a positive impact that ties in with Scotland’s ‘shared services’ agenda.
A single agreed harmonised system across Health and Social Care sectors would be more accurate and more cost-effective. Employers have previously expressed strong support for adopting such an approach.
Process or structural changes that would support collaborative working on recruitment: The needs of the service are constantly evolving so it is important to consider carefully the future roles of scientists and support staff and the likely changes that will come about for a variety of reasons: changing demographics, new technology, shifts to more personalised medicine, etc. Consideration for having healthcare scientists in leadership roles and leading clinical services should be central to future workforce planning so that all the potential resources are utilised effectively. 

17. Good Scientific Practice
AHCS Standards of Proficiency (SOPs) set out the minimum standard that a person must meet in order to register with the AHCS.
These SOPs have been cross-referenced with the HCPC Standards of Proficiency. They cover the five domains of Good Scientific Practice

18. AHCS Review of GSP in 2017: Domains
1. Professional Practice
2. Scientific Practice
3. Clinical Practice
4. Research and development
5. Clinical Leadership

19. Montgomery Judgement The new test
Clinicians now have a duty to take reasonable care to ensure that the patient is aware of any material risks involved in:
Not only
any recommended treatment, (investigation)
But also
of any reasonable alternative or variant treatments (investigations).
(Para 87)

20. AHCS Education, Training and Professional Standards Committee
Independent Chair
Lay representatives contribute to all the work of the Committee,
including Patient and Public issues
Close working relationship with the AHCS Regulation Council
ETPSC is responsible for Standards and Quality Assurance
Meets on a quarterly basis, NES rep. invited

21. The HCS Quality Assurance Framework
Quality Assurance is one of the Academy’s six Strategic Objectives
The Academy’s provides support and assurance for education and training across healthcare science via its QA Framework
The 3 Levels of Quality Assurance: roles and responsibilities
Level 1: Quality Assurance, carried out by the Academy
Level 2: Quality Management (NSHCS, NES)
Level 3: Quality Control, carried out by education and training providers in
conjunction with employers.

22. Standards that the Academy endorses (1)
Standards of Education and Training (SETs) ensure not only:
fitness for practise, but also
fitness for purpose
Professional Standards for the healthcare science workforce exist in the form of:
Good Scientific Practice
‘Modernising Scientific Careers’ curricula embed Good Scientific Practice into all
MSC healthcare science courses
Curriculum Development Standards

23. Standards that the Academy endorses (2)
The Academy’s SOPs (Standards of Proficiency) set out the minimum standard that a person must meet in order to register with the AHCS for the first time.
The Academy’s SOPs are available at:
content/uploads/2014/07/AHCS_StandardsofProficiency.pdf

24. NSHCS Self-assessment for work-based placement providers
This self-assessment is the first step in the process for approval of departments to train healthcare science trainees under MSC training schemes.
All departments providing work based training for the healthcare science training programmes are required to complete a self-assessment.
The immediate outcomes may be a) accreditation; b) accreditation with conditions; or c) referral for panel visit. 
For helpful advice on providing high quality training for healthcare scientists, please see the NSHCS publication ‘Helpbook for Training Centres’, available on the NSHCS website.

25. Assessment against Quality Standards
Departments are asked to self-assess on a four-point scale
from ‘not met’ to ‘exceeded’.
‘Not met’ or ‘Working toward’ the standard? Need to identify actions to demonstrate how it is intended to achieve the standard in the future.
Exceeded the standard by developing an area of best practice? Request to share best practice made

26. NSHCS Accreditation: Workplace Training Standards
The Academy carried out a QA review in December 2016
In the Academy’s view, good progress is being made
In future, NSHCS will be placing even greater emphasis on workplace accreditation. This is an approach that HEE endorses.

27. Keeping in Touch AHCS website www.ahcs.ac.uk
Major review in progress: June & July 2017
(to improve navigation and usability)
Vox newsletter
Facebook/ LinkedIn