30 September 2016 (Friday) - HCPC Newsletter

The HCPC e-newsletter appeared in my inbox this morning. There was all sorts on news including:

·         Focus on proposed changes to the standards of education and training and supporting guidance

·         Registration renewal and CPD

·         CPD audit report 2013–15 published

·         Recruitment – paramedics and practitioner psychologists wanted for partner roles

·         Employer survey – Have your say

·         Come meet HCPC representatives

·         Policy update

·         Revised guidance for registrants – What happens if a concern is raised about me?

I must admit I rather glossed over the first section; there are seemingly always proposals for change.

The renewal and CPD audit sections interested me. I was intrigued to see that 80% of registrants were doing acceptable CPD; I often worry if what I am doing is good enough. I was also intrigued to learn the HCPC had a You-Tube channel.

I must admit that after learning that, the rest paled into insignificance. I’ve subscribed to the channel.

This is the way forward for CPD !!

5 June 2015 (Friday) - HCPC Newsletter

The HCPC “In Focus” newsletter came out today. Previously I’ve been rather scathing about the thing.

I’m afraid I’m going to be so again. There was *very* little of relevance to me. Orthoptists and paramedics subs are due. The Chair of Council is stepping down. The consultation on the revised Standards of conduct, performance and ethics continues. The annual subscription is going up by twelve per cent (which I think is a bit steep!)…. And so it went on. Nothing really noteworthy.

But on the positive side today’s newsletter had a survey about how they might improve future editions. I said I wanted more information directly relevant to me and what I do. 

Is that so much to ask?

16 February 2015 (Monday) - HCPC Newsletter

The latest HCPC newsletter is available.

http://www.hcpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10004A96HCPCInFocus-Issue57.pdf

I mention this because it is the sort of thing that is billed as being “CPD material”.

At the risk of getting the thumbs-down in any future assessment the term “biomedical scientist” didn’t really feature much in this issue.

Mind you there was mention of recruiting people to sit on investigatory panels.

http://www.hcpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10003984PanelMembersRoleBrief-Aug2011.pdf

Bearing in mind the last three years I wonder if I might be able to bring some experience to bear on that role. I might just apply.

6 December 2014 (Saturday) - HCPC in Focus Magazine

The latest missive from the HCPC is now on-line at http://www.hcpc-uk.org/assets/documents/100049D3HCPCInFocus-Issue56.pdf

The headline gave me pause for thought “Registration renewal figures for operating department practitioners and social workers in England at an all-time high”. Clearly I’m missing something here. Those that don’t renew cannot continue practice. Either they’ve obtained alternate employment or retired. Either way is no big deal, so why is this headline news?

I found it very difficult to read the Fitness to Practice annual report with any degree of impartiality. Between 1 April 2013 and 31 March 2014 2 069 new concerns were raised, an increase of twenty five per cent on the previous year. 0.64% of registrants found themselves to be on the receiving end of a complaint. That’s about one in two hundred; I find that a really high number.

Of personal interest I read that revised standards of proficiency for biomedical scientists and clinical scientists have been published.

There was a report of a meeting between HCPC staff and medical managers in Belfast that took place recently. Again I found myself too close to the subject matter; wondering exactly what was discussed when I read that “Participants at the event took part in discussions using real life FTP case studies”. I see that I can go to one of these meetings if I want to by registering at www.hcpc-uk.org/meethcpc - I’m tempted to sign up.

9 June 2014 (Monday) - HPC Newsletter

The latest "HPC in Focus" magazine came out via email today. It seems there's to be a revision to the Standards of Practice for biomedical scientists like me.

The new stadards can be seen here.

I can't help but feel that whilst there is a serious need to document exactly what is expected from a healthcare professional; it's perhaps not such a sensible idea to try to have a "one size fits all" approach with the standards. A healthcare professional who has face to face contact with patients constantly (such as a chiropodist or a physiotherapist) will have different expectations and requirements to someone who does not (such as a pharmacist or me!!)

Take for example the new standard #5 "be aware of the impact of culture, equality and diversity on practice". Someone who has face to face contact with people must be far more aware of the diversity of their patients than I am because they actually see that they are a diverse bunch... to give but one example.

April 10, 2011 (Sunday) - HPC Newsletter

The HPC have just released their latest newsletter. I wasn’t too impressed with the last two, but this one has one or two bits in it that made me think.

I don’t like the idea of the health self-declaration. Previously before anyone could be HPC registered they needed a doctor to certify that their health (both mentally and physically) was up to par. Now potential applicants can just announce they are healthy enough and off they go. Surely if someone has spend five years or more trying to obtain HPC registration (a not unreasonable estimate of time from commencement of degree to portfolio verification) they are hardly going to then announce they aren’t up to it, are they?

I’ll leave aside the whole tangled mess of what medically unsuitable registrants might get up to….

There was an article about exactly what a registrant can and cannot mention about work on social networking websites. There are websites out there that are good – take for example “I am a Biomedical Scientist” on Facebook. Or look at any of the links in the panel on the right hand side of this page. These are good examples of professional use of social networking. I aspire to be that good. I try – but there’s no denying that a few of my rants have got close to the line recently, but I do take care to follow the HPC guidelines when I’m blogging on this website.

It annoys me that others do not. Take for example the Facebook group “The Hospital Lab Biomedical Scientist”. I’ve “unliked” that page – do we as health care professionals really want to be associated with such quotes as “just so cannot be arsed to look at anymore smears... make it up time methinks!”. And some of the stories related on that website make me cringe. I can’t pretend that the medical profession is perfect, but there’s something frankly idiotic in openly broadcasting failures to the world in the worst possible light. Look at the post from last Thursday at 13:39 and ask yourself what your employer would do if you’d posted that.

There was an advert: “We are seeking to recruit registered professionals to fill vacancies for the role of Visitor. Visitors make recommendations about education and training delivered (or proposing to be delivered) by education providers.” I would have applied, but they didn’t want biomedical scientists (this time).

The newsletter ended by saying that the HPC is now on Facebook. I’ve “liked” it – but bearing in mind some of the other work-related Facebook pages, I wonder how that page will pan out…

December 3 2010 (Friday) - HPC Newsletter

On October 1^st I mentioned that I wasn’t overly impressed with the HPC’s newsletter. I received the latest one today, and was (quite frankly) equally disappointed. There was half a page about some new publications concerning fitness to practice and raising concerns which I might incorporate into evidences for pre registration portfolio evidence suggestions. But other than that, there wasn’t much I felt to be relevant to me.

The term “biomedical scientist” wasn’t mentioned once…

October 1 2010 (Saturday) - HPC Newsletter

On September 23^rd I mentioned that I’d done some work on my website of advice for students tackling the pre-registration portfolio. I’d revised my set of questions about the role of the Health Professions Council. One of my new questions for the students was: “Describe (briefly) the role that the HPC plays in the daily life of the average biomedical scientist”. My reasoning in asking this question was that the students’ immediate answer would be “bugger all!”, but further research on their part would prove to be enlightening.

Today I received an email from the HPC. They had sent their latest newsletter. I opened this missive, expecting to find all manner of goodies relevant to my question. So what has the HPC been doing in the life of the average biomedical scientist?

Let’s just say that “In Focus Issue 31” has left me feeling somewhat let down by those in authority above me…