1. Modernising Scientific Careers
New educational challenges for
health scientists
Kerry Tinkler.

2. Chief Scientific Officer at DH.
Scientific Services are guided by the priorities
outlined in the NHS White Paper, consultations
on Choice, Information & Outcomes and the
Operating Framework for 2011/12.

3. Challenges for health care system
• Ageing population
• Chronic diseases represents aprox. 70% of mortality & 70-80% of the expense in the
4 main types of chronic diseases:
 Cardiovascular diseases,
 Cancer,
 Diabetes
 Chronic respiratory diseases
• Many co-morbidities
 80% of the 65+ people have 1 chronic disease
 50% have 2 chronic diseases
• Security of supply of appropriately trained workforce
• Greater expectations
• Advances in medical science and technology
• Economic challenge leading to health inequalities

4. Healthcare scientists unique role
• Work at the interface between basic science and clinical practice – driving
research to answer a clinical need
• Advance science and technology leading to new diagnostic or therapeutic
interventions
• Capture research outcomes and translate discoveries into practice
• Innovate to drive quality and productivity in healthcare delivery
• Ideal position to introduce disruptive technologies for the benefit of patients

5. Prevention / Screening Diagnosis Treatment
Ongoing
management /
monitoring
End of Life
Care
• Providing
screening
programme
services
• Faecal occult
blood detection
• Cervical cytology
• Analysis of
patients and
families for genetic
components of or
predisposition to
cancer
• Quality assurance
of mammography
equipment
• Development and
introduction of new
digital
mammography
• Definitive diagnosis
of a range of solid
tumours –
increasingly
responsible for tissue
receipt, cut up and
preparation of slides
• Developing,
performing and
interpreting specific
molecular tests
targeted at specific
cancer loci
• Development and
validation of Nuclear
medicine tests
• Quality assurance
and optimisation of all
imaging techniques
used in cancer
pathways
• Assessment of impact of
radiotherapy and/or surgery
through measurement of
biomarkers
• Assessing physiological
function
• Specific diagnostic testing to
assess minimal residual disease
in leukaemia
• Staging and planning
Radiotherapy treatment
• Implementing and evaluating
new radiotherapy techniques -
IMRT, IGRT, tomotherapy
• Fitness for surgery/
measurement of prognostic
indicators and post operative
support
• Production of specific
prostheses for reconstructive
surgery
• Monitoring
patients in
remission for early
evidence of
recurrence
• Selection of
breast cancer
patients suitable for
Herceptin therapy
• Monitoring
ongoing
physiological
effects of
cytotoxic therapy
• Managing the
immediate
consequences
of death
• Post mortem
examinations
• Bereavement
care of relatives
Healthcare Scientists Example of
the Contribution to Cancer Care

6. The vision for healthcare
science
To have a world class workforce that :
• Raises the profile and awareness of contribution of scientific
services to improving outcomes
• Are active contributors to science in health and society
• Continually evaluates clinical practice and care delivery models
• Delivers excellence in knowledge creation, innovation and
service improvement
• Has the right skills and capabilities working in new and
innovative roles to deliver high quality care
• Works in partnerships with patients and other professionals,
including as clinical leaders

7. Healthcare Science workforce
• The healthcare science workforce plays a central role in safe and effective patient
care across all pathways of care from health and wellbeing to end-of-life
• Comprises approximately 5% of the healthcare workforce in the UK
• 80% of all diagnoses can be attributed to their work
(RFH 456, 6%)

8. Life Sciences Clinical Engineering &
Physical Sciences
Physiological Sciences
• Anatomical pathology
• Blood transfusion
• Clinical biochemistry including
Paediatric metabolic biochemistry
• Clinical cytogenetics
• Clinical embryology
• Clinical immunology
• Cytopathology including cervical
cytology
• Electron microscopy
• External Quality Assurance
• Haematology
• Haemostasis & thrombosis
• Histocompatibility &
immunogenetics
• Histopathology
• Molecular genetics
• Microbiology
• Phlebotomy
• Tissue Banking
• Toxicology
• Transfusion & transplantation
science
• Biomechanical engineering
• Clinical measurement
• Equipment management
• Information technology &
management
• Medical electronics and
instrumentation
• Medical engineering design
• Rehabilitation engineering
• Diagnostic radiology (including
MRI)
• Nuclear medicine
• Radiation protection & monitoring
• Radiotherapy physics
• Ultrasound & non-ionising
radiation
• Medical illustration
• Maxillofacial prosthetics &
reconstruction
• Renal dialysis technology
•Audiology
•Autonomic neurovascular function
•Cardiology
•Clinical perfusion
•Critical Care Technology
•Gastrointestinal physiology
•Hearing therapy
•Neurophysiology
•Ophthalmic science
•Respiratory physiology
•Sleep Physiology
•Urodynamics
•Vascular Science
•Vision science

9. What is - Modernising Scientific
Careers?
• A programme of change to Modernising training and Career pathways for HCSs
• Transform and develop the HCS workforce with clear routes to career progression
• Equivalence programme to recognise prior learning and experience
• UK wide initiative, building on previous work
• The direction of travel was set out for the first time in the Next Stage Review’s A High
Quality Framework (June 2008)
• MSC the next steps document consultation closed March 2009
• MSC The way Forward was published in February 2010
• The MSC England action plan was published in March 2010

10. Why Modernise Scientific
Careers?
• Simplify career structures and education and training for the healthcare science
workforce to a common framework
• Career pathways aligned with other healthcare professionals
• Training and education framework to provide greater flexibility in skills and
knowledge development
• Improve workforce planning
• To become more strongly driven by and integrated with service needs, informing
commissioning of education and training, and supporting re-profiling of the
workforce
• Significant improvements in value for money as well as quality of care

12. What will MSC do?
• Ensure all functions are carried at the most appropriate level
• Expand the options for senior, consultant level staff to provide expertise, senior
leadership and science advocacy
• Ensure a flexible workforce adaptable and responsive to innovation and
technological advances
• Expand options for assistant and associate roles and their contribution to
efficiency and effectiveness of services
• Promote planning to replace the ageing part of the workforce especially at more
senior levels

13. Simplified Governance
MEE
Operational
Group
Medical Education England
Advisory Function
Chair of MEE
Medical Education England Board
Formal advice to Secretary
of State and Ministers
Leadership
Education
& Training
Workforce
Planning
Academic
Career
Pathway
4 Country
Policy
Group+ MSC
Scrutiny
Group
MSC England
Implementation Board
Membership:
SHAs
NHS Employers
Centre for Workforce Intelligence
Skills for Health
Medical Education England
DH
Healthcare
Science
Professional
Bodies
Advisory Executive UK PolicyKEY:
MEE Healthcare Science
Programme Board*
Membership:
Professional Bodies
Unions
DH
NHS
SHAs
Higher Education
Industry representative
Patient/Public representative
Trainee representative
*Working groups/ Task and Finish
Groups appointed as appropriate
Direct advice as
appropriate
Scrutiny/info
Advice
HEI Strategic
Advisory group
Academy for
HCS
Decision
making
function
Direct advice to MSC Programme as appropriate
Chief
Scientific
Officer
Feeds into
workforce
directorate

14. The Model for Education and Training Pathways for the Healthcare
Science (HCS) Workforce and published in UK Way Forward (2010)*
* as agreed by all 4 CSO’s or equivalents
NB: Equivalence will be based on a clear and transparent assessment of a
portfolio of evidence including previous experience and knowledge (reducing
possible duplication and allowing employers to grow their own workforce)

15. The MSC programme will deliver a nationally
defined curriculum / standardised
specifications
Associate
/Assistant
Associate
/Assistant
Scientist
Training
Programme
Scientist
Training
Programme
Practitioner
Training
Programme
Practitioner
Training
Programme
Higher Specialist
Scientific
Training
Higher Specialist
Scientific
Training
National learning and development framework with modular approach
Vocational awards for Assistants and Foundation Degrees for
Associates. Major workplace training component
National learning and development framework with modular approach
Vocational awards for Assistants and Foundation Degrees for
Associates. Major workplace training component
3 year programme which will comprise separately delivered and
awarded, academic and workplace-based components leading to an
MSc and a Certificate of Achievement
3 year programme which will comprise separately delivered and
awarded, academic and workplace-based components leading to an
MSc and a Certificate of Achievement
3 year BSc (Hons) programme which will integrate academic and
workplace based elements (approx 50 weeks of workplace training)
3 year BSc (Hons) programme which will integrate academic and
workplace based elements (approx 50 weeks of workplace training)
A 4/5 year work based training programme similar to SpR training and
leading to medical college examinations where these exist and
possibly a doctoral award
A 4/5 year work based training programme similar to SpR training and
leading to medical college examinations where these exist and
possibly a doctoral award
Training through Modernising Scientific Careers

16. Modernising Scientific Careers programme
Career Framework 1 – 4 (AfC 2-4)
• To develop a flexible educational and training framework which supports
innovation and develops new and existing roles
• To ensure that the framework carries academic credit to allow progression
and maps onto national qualifications & standards

17. Healthcare Science Assistant &
Associate Practitioners
• Performing a range of task and protocol based roles
• Supported by a learning and development framework
• Range of vocational qualifications (e.g. Apprenticeships, NVQs, diplomas) to
enable progression and support trusts in “growing and developing” their own
workforce
• Opportunities to progress into the HCSP career pathway
• Potentially be subject to regulation

18. Year 2
Techniques &
Methodologies
Year 3
Application to Practice
Year 1
Scientific Basics
Academic
Core Specialism [see Year Three]
with some shared learning
Academic learning to support
workplace skills development
Core Specialism: one of:
•Audiology
•Vision Sciences
•Neurophysiology
Workplace-based
Specialist Clinical
experience
15 weeks
Core Specialism and
Project
25 weeks
Physiological Sciences with specific
focus on Neurosensory Sciences
Introductory Block across Healthcare
Science
Work
placements
10 weeks
Increasing
experiential
learning
(up to a
maximum
of 50
weeks)
Integrated BSc (Hons) in Healthcare Science
with a Certificate of Competence
Practitioner Training Programme (PTP):
Neurosensory Sciences
* Proposed Regulation as a Healthcare Science
Practitioner
Equivalence
Trainees with prior
experience (either
academic or work place
experience) could be
exempt from certain
components.
Graduates will exit with
a graduate diploma in
the additional academic
learning

19. Healthcare Science Practitioner
• Defined role in assured tests, delivery and reporting of investigations and
interventions
• May be patient facing roles
• Expertise in applied scientific techniques
• May work in a range of healthcare settings
• Potential to develop into senior HCSP
• 50 Weeks placement

20. 3 year Healthcare Scientist Training Programme (STP)
Introductory Academic Block (Minimum of 1 month)
• Followed by an elective ( 4 - 6 weeks) in any healthcare science
specialism or a related clinical service
Workplace Training
in an NHS or other approved organisation leading to formal Certification
• Remainder in Single Specialism training
Specialism 1Specialism 1 Specialism 2Specialism 2 Specialism 3Specialism 3 Specialism 4Specialism 4
Themed Rotations
• Initial 12 months rotational training (3 months in each of 4 specialisms)
Academic learning
leading to
Masters
Degree
With part time attendance
on a HEI based Masters
programme throughout
the training period
.

21. Healthcare Scientist
• Clinical and scientific expertise
• Underpinned by theoretical knowledge and experience
• Undertakes complex scientific and clinical roles
• Makes judgements which impact on patients
• Involved in innovation, R&D and education

22. Employment initially as a Healthcare
Scientist, with competitive
progression to Senior Healthcare
Scientist and the opportunity to
undertake Accredited Specialist
Expertise (ASE)
Pathways for healthcare scientists:
5-66-789
Higher Specialist Scientific
Training Programme
competitive entry, automatic
progression in training and
employment subject to progress
through assessment
Consultant Healthcare Scientist Appointments
(opportunities for specialist fellowship & development)
Regulation (Higher Specialist Register for Scientists)
Regulated Healthcare Scientists
Career
Framework
Stage
Accredited Specialist
Expertise [ASE]
• service to identify
specific areas
within disciplines
where specialist
expertise required
• explicit
qualifications and
experience will
need to be
identified
• outcomes set at
specialist
advanced practice
• build on existing
qualifications
where possible
• accreditation
recognised/
validated through
a formal process
to enable
employers to
identify who has
achieved specialist
accreditation

23. Senior HCS
• Developed skills and knowledge to a very high standard
• Performing a complex role
• Possible management/research/educational role
Accredited Specialist Expertise
• Programmes to support expert knowledge and skills and experience in a
closely defined area of practice
• National standards qualifications and experience set out in a defined
curricula
• Developing existing academic programmes e.g. Professional body exams
and masters

24. Higher Specialist Scientist Training
• Competitive entry
• Academic training integrated with a work based clinical component at PhD
or post doctoral level
• Senior consultant HCSs
• Scientific expertise
• Leadership
• Strategic direction & service development
• Leading Research

25. Progress:
• Curricula developed and reviewed by MEE HCS EETG, advice provided to 4 UK countries
• Training manuals developed and undergoing review
• Assessment criteria being developed
• Coherence and consistency checking commencing
• Final version for 11/12 expected in summer
• NHS West Midlands appointed Lead Commissioner for 2011/12, will also provide
oversight of workplace training
• Tender for underpinning STP MSc completed
• National recruitment to STP programmes completed

27. STP Recruitment
Pathway Num New
Posts
Num Grow
Your Own
Total Candidates
Interviewed
Life Sciences 62 2 235
Clinical Engineering 8 0 30
Medical Physics 65 0 240
Physiological
Sciences
29 11 125

28. • Leadership, strategic
direction, and influence
for healthcare scientists
across the Strategic
Health Authorities
• Promote improvements in
quality and productivity
through the adoption of
innovative scientific
technologies and
practices
• Networking and chairing
• Facilitating healthcare
scientists’ engagement
with Liberating the NHS
White Paper consultation
exercises.
Jo Nightingale
Peter Jarritt
Senior Lead Scientist
Jane Blower
Angela Douglas
Val Davison
Fiona Carragher
Neil Porter
John Crolla
Dr Chris Gibson
Tony Gibson
(interim)

29. CPPD
e.g.
Audit
Research
Innovation
Service improvement
New technology etc.
Unexplained variation

30. Things are changing and new technologies are emerging………….
Innovation and Technology
Semiconductor
Microchips
Imaging The Smart Band Aid
Engineering
Structural Tissues

31. Raising the profile of HCSs
• Healthcare Innovation EXPO
• Big Bang Science Fair
• Healthcare Science Awareness Week
• Healthcare Science Ambassadors
– Applications from 99 Healthcare Scientists
– Working with STEMNET on registration
• CSO Leadership Event
• HCS Awards

33. More Info:
• K.tinkler@medsch.ucl.ac.uk
• www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/Chiefprofessionaloffi
• www.networks.nhs.uk/nhs-networks/msc-framew