Current status of MSC

Following publication of the UK wide policy document and the England Action Plan, implementation has begun as follows:

• Early adopter sites have been established, and will work with the MSC team from the Department of Health to implement new training programmes. Early adopter sites with significant physics and engineering involvement include Cambridge, Liverpool, London, Nottingham and Plymouth. It is possible that new entrants to the Practitioner Training Programme (PTP), and the Scientist Training Programme (STP), could be recruited by September 2010 and September 2011 respectively.
• The policy document stated that Strategic Health Authorities would play a key role in commissioning and supporting training arrangements for MSC in England. It is unclear how this role will be fulfilled when SHAs are abolished as implied in the recent White Paper. Meanwhile individual roadshows have been taking place within each SHA to inform health care scientists of timescales and arrangements for local implementation.
• Workforce planning tools for healthcare science are being developed, and will be issued shortly via SHA leads. These are intended to assist providers and education commissioners with planning for staff recruitment and provision of training places, based on user-defined models of changing local service needs.
• Implementation plans for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have not yet been published.

During the transition period the current arrangements for IPEM accredited training will continue, and this includes arrangements for trainee Clinical Scientists and trainee Clinical Technologists who register as part of the September 2010 intake. However, colleagues should note that arrangements for registration of Clinical Scientists are determined by the Health Professions Council, and that the current standard pathway (Route 1) to registration requires a four year period of training including an IPEM approved MSc and IPEM Diploma, leading to the ACS Certificate of Attainment. Applicants for early adopter MSC programmes should establish that their employer will support this pathway, at least until any changes are made to the statutory registration process.

IPEM involvement

The initial response by IPEM was published in the Newsletter and on the website. IPEM and its members are currently involved in:

• Curriculum development, for both the Scientific Training Programme (STP) and the Practitioner Training Programme (PTP).
• Liaison between MSC and HEI providers, facilitating in particular discussions around current UK expertise in providing accredited MSc courses in medical physics and clinical engineering, and how they can best be utilised.
• Contributing to the assessment and potential accreditation of BSc courses for PTP, including new courses proposed for September 2010 intake.
• Influencing the development of MSC, including arrangements for training infrastructure and Higher Specialist Scientific Training (HSST).

MSC developments are overseen by Medical Education England, via its Healthcare Science Programme Board. The co-chair of that Board is Keith Ison (IPEM Past President), and current members include Chris Gibson (IPEM President) and Wendy Tindale (Head of Medical Physics, Sheffield).

Issues to be resolved

The Institute continues to have concerns about aspects of the MSC programme, and will continue to work with the Department of Health and with SHAs to address these:

• Minimising disruption to existing services and existing staff
• Ensuring adequate UK-wide distribution of HEIs providing BSc and MSc courses
• Facilitating links between NHS employers and potential trainees prior to entry to training programmes
• Ensuring appropriate quality assurance and accreditation of training providers
• Maintaining flexibility of entry, including scientists from academia, industry and overseas, with appropriate routes to registration
• Ability to train individuals with appropriate portfolios combining physics and engineering knowledge and skills, and recognition of employer requirements in areas such as information technology and clinical measurement
• Defining areas for HSST programmes leading to Consultant equivalent status for physicists and engineers

Members with concerns are invited to contact their Regional Chair (contact details below), or the Vice President for Professional Issues (via the office). Your comments are welcomed and will help to inform the Institute's actions during this important transition period.

Dr Chris Gibson

IPEM President

22^nd July 2010

Regional Chairs:

Joanna Barraclough, Eastern England

Bal Sanghera, London

Michaela Moore, North East England

Paul Blackett, North West England

Clive Wolsley, Northern Ireland

Graham Freestone, South West England

Adrian Wilson, West Midlands

Giles Morrison, Yorkshire & Humber

Ayyakkannu Manivannan (Mani), Scotland

Rachel Bidder, Wales

East Midlands and South East England do not currently have a Regional Chair.