How to become a Registered Technologist

1. How to become a Registered Technologist Borghert Jan Borghmans Belfast Health and Social Care Trust AGTC Registrar

2. Topics Covered • The Need for Registration • The VRC and the role of the AGTC • How to Register • Eligibility • Application Form

3. Need for Registration • From DH (The regulation of the non-medical healthcare professions): • “we have defined regulation as the set of systems and activities intended to ensure that healthcare practitioners have the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours to provide healthcare safely. The goal of professional regulation is patient safety. • This means professional regulation needs to: • set and promote those standards which, for reasons of safety, everyone in a profession (or branch of a profession) has to meet; • publish a register of those who meet these standards, and ensure that everyone on the register continue to meet the standards, both by periodic checks for all and by procedures for resolving concerns which a complaint or incident might create.”

4. Need for Registration • Voluntary Registration (Professional Regulation) • First step towards Statutory Regulation • Allows Technologists more control over Regulation process • Input from Professional Bodies • Statutory Regulation • HPC Registration • Protected Title

5. Need for Registration • The DH continues: • “Professional regulation becomes statutory regulation at the point where the State regards it as so important for public safety that it legislates for a ban on either using the professional title or doing certain things unless your name appears in the register. This protects patients from the harm caused by people practising a profession which they are not fit to. It engenders public confidence by allowing members of the public and the employers of professionals to check on a person’s registration status, knowing that the information they find will be correct and up to date.”

6. VRC • Membership Groups • NAC - Cytoscreeners • BARS - Retinal Screeners • AOSP - Ophthalmic Science Practitioners • BATB - Tissue Bankers • SCCT - Critical Care Technologists • AAPT - Anatomical Pathology Technologists • ACC/CMGS, represented jointly by the AGTC - Genetic Technologists

7. Role of the AGTC • The Associated Genetic Technologists Committee (AGTC) was formed by technical members of the Clinical Molecular Genetics Society and the Association of Clinical Cytogeneticists. • Remit: “to facilitate the regulation of Medical Technical Officers in NHS Genetic diagnostic laboratories through the Voluntary Registration Council”, as the first step towards achieving statutory regulation through the Health Professions Council.  • The AGTC met its objective in April 2006 when the Voluntary Registration Council opened its registers for the initial six professions involved. (AGTC Web Pages, ACC and CMGS website)

8. Role of the AGTC • Since achieving its primary aim, the AGTC has continued to register technical staff as Genetic Technologists through the VRC. • The AGTC is developing a national competence manual and future pre-registration education and training routes in collaboration with the two professional bodies. • The AGTC is committed to increasing the profile of technical staff within NHS Genetics laboratories and is focussed on representing their interests within the professional bodies and promoting a positive career structure for technical staff. To this end, the AGTC has been ratified as an official committee of both the ACC and the CMGS and is represented on both the executive committees, and the training boards, of the professional bodies. It is hoped the AGTC will become the lead on all matters pertaining to the technical staff. (AGTC Web Pages, ACC and CMGS website)

9. AGTC – Who’s who? • Chair: Janice Nunn (CMGS - Sheffield) • Vice-Chair: Beverley Royston (ACC - Liverpool) • Secretary: Michelle Fenlon (ACC – Birmingham) • Registrar: Borghert Jan Borghmans (CMGS - Belfast) • Education Lead: Marcus Allen (CMGS – Birmingham) • Education Lead: Sarah King (ACC – Sheffield) • Jane Cooper (CMGS – Newcastle) • Karen Thompson (ACC – Newcastle) • Elaine Clements (CMGS – Bristol) • Anne Reilly (ACC – London, Kennedy Galton)

10. How to Register • Go to website: www.vrcouncil.org • Click on “Registration Groups” • And go the appropriate pages

12. How to Register • Download and print the “Application Form” and the “Guidance Notes” • Familiarise yourself with the “Standards of Proficiency” and the “Scope of Practice” • Read through the “Code of Conduct” • Further information on Professional Body websites

13. Am I eligible? • For Genetic Technologists there are currently two routes of entry to the Voluntary Register; however these will change once the education and training routes for the profession have been established; the first route is: • Direct entry – First degree in an approved subject or other suitable qualification approved by the Council and a minimum of 3 years relevant experience (or 5,000 hours if part-time) either as a Medical Technical Officer (Grade 2 or higher) or as a Genetic Technologist Band 5 (or higher) in an appropriate Genetic Technologist post approved by the Council (or a combination of both), with evidence provided to support competent practice.

14. Approved Qualifications • 1st degree in an approved subject - for example Genetics, Biology, Biological Science, Human Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Molecular Biology or involving a human genetic related component

15. Am I eligible? • There are currently two routes of entry to the Voluntary Register; however these will change once the education and training routes for the profession have been established; the second route is: • Grand-parenting – A minimum of six years training and experience relevant to the work of a Genetic Technologist (or 10,000 hours, if part-time) with evidence provided to support competent practice, including a minimum of 3 years relevant experience (or 5,000 hours if part-time) either as a Medical Technical Officer (Grade 2 or higher) or as a Genetic Technologist Band 5 (or higher) in an appropriate Genetic Technologist post approved by the Council (or a combination of both).

16. The Application Form • The application form has 10 sections. • Please ensure that the form is completed legibly, either written or typed, in black ink. • Consult the accompanying guidance notes, to which the numbers refer. • All sections of the form must be fully completed. • Additional information can be attached.

17. Application Form – Section 1 • Personal Details • Include all previous surnames (if applicable) • Use your work address as address for correspondence • Enter the modality you are applying for. The modalities are: • Anatomical Pathology Technology; Ophthalmic Science Practitioner; Diabetic Retinopathy Screener; Tissue Bank Technologist; Cytotechnologist; Critical Care Technologist; Genetic Technologist (Cytogenetics), Genetic Technologist (Molecular Genetics) • While we recognise the existence of “Molecular Cytogeneticists” we ask applicants not to use this as their modality of choice.

18. Application Form – Section 2 • In the first table enter your degree(s) “Documentary proof in the form of photocopies of certificates must be provided. If these cannot be supplied evidence of why they are not available should be submitted e.g. written statement from an examination awarding body, professional body or employer.” “If you have no such qualification you will need to record qualifications obtained at school/sixth form college e.g. O levels, GCSE, A levels, HNC, HND, etc.” • In the second table enter any professional qualifications If applicable. These could include Management or Teaching qualifications.

19. Application Form – Section 3 • List membership of Professional Bodies • “It is not a mandatory requirement to belong to a professional body, however, for the profession to be accepted by the Health Professions Council at least 25% of its members must belong to a professional body, i.e. the ACC and CMGS. • You may apply through the British Society of Human Genetics www.bshg.org.uk .Your ACC or CMGS membership number can be found in correspondence from the BSHG. It is usually found on the envelope. It is a four-digit number in brackets after your name. It can also be found in the BSHG membership directory.” • The ACC and CMGS provide discounted rates for attendance of their conferences for members and for training activities, such as “Training for Trainers”

20. Application Form – Section 4 • Articles and Publications Include published papers, posters, oral presentations & abstracts for conferences and seminars from the last 6 years. Please continue this on a separate sheet. • Other Information In this section also include any achievements that you feel are supportive of your application. These are not necessarily work-related and so would not fall under the scope of the following written report or CPD record.

21. Application Form – Section 5 • Professional Record State your current position with grade and date appointed in the appropriate section; In chronological order list your previous positions. Also list any career breaks or (un)paid leave of greater than 9 months. If you have been working less than 2 years since a career break of more than 5 years you will need to show evidence of re-training and re-assessment. For absences of longer than 9 months, but less than 5 years the VRC will use the evidence you provide in your written report, CPD log and the reference from your Head of Laboratory as a basis for its decision. • It is not necessary to send copies of in house documentation. Details should be included in your report in the section that describes your training and experience as a healthcare scientist. Your referee(s) should confirm re-training and competence to practice after return to work from a break in service.

22. Application Form – Section 6 • The Written Report The guidance notes state [the report] “should be written using the stated headings to establish your competence. It is not expected that you require information under every heading. It should be clear from the report that you have undergone training and include some record of gained competencies. It is not necessary to submit your competency or training log.  • Technical: Performing a range of duties to administer the technical genetic diagnosis process and/or managing such processes. • Clinical: Demonstrate a general knowledge of specimen requirements, acceptance and priority, including a basic knowledge of common inherited disorders or cytogenetic abnormalities. Ability to use appropriate testing methodology and perform a range of genetic analyses in a highly proficient manner. (continued)

23. Application Form – Section 6 • Communication with colleagues, other Healthcare Professionals and external agencies involved in the technical genetic diagnosis process. Ability to present data and information both verbally and visually. • Managing and planning your work activity and/or the work activity of others. • Teaching and training. • Research and development. Teaching and training can be discipline specific or the teaching and training of other Healthcare Professionals or lay public.

24. Application Form – Section 6 • Each applicant should list their competencies and relevant training under the appropriate headings. It is expected that each applicant has read the Standards of Proficiency and that these standards are reflected in their day-to-day activities and duties. • It has to be stressed that the VRC is not asking for a list of your department’s activities, but that it reflects your personal activities, training and competencies. Please use no more than 4 A4-sized pages • The AGTC felt that providing an example application form or report on the website would lead to applicants copying it, rather than giving an accurate description of their personal activities, training and competencies. If you are unsure whether your report is acceptable to the VRC, contact the AGTC Registrar who will be able to give some guidance.

25. Application Form – Section 6 • Question: Does an MTO have to have experience of all sections, pre-natal, post-natal and FISH to become registered? • Answer: Pre-registration Clinical Scientists from smaller laboratories often cannot gain all the experience required for registration. They overcome this problem by going on a short-term placement in a different laboratory to cover the additional required areas. For MTOs this will often be impossible to arrange. Instead, the AGTC decided that “Core competence and various sectional competence (not all) will have to be completed before registration”. That means an MTO does not necessarily have to work in all sections to gain sufficient experience. To register the candidate needs to show that they have worked to the Scope of Practice, have the reference from the Head of Department and have submitted a written report as evidence of experience. (The Scope of Practice is available from the Genetic Technologist pages on the ACC website, or from the AGTC Registrar)

26. Application Form – Section 7 & 8 • Details of Training Received Document all relevant training pertaining to your discipline and your role within your place of work in Section 7. • Professional meetings attended and CPD activity undertaken: Document your attendance and participation at professional conferences, laboratory staff meetings, journal clubs, seminars, committees and activities that acquire Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits in section 8. (Go to http://www.hpc-uk.org for example lists of CPD activities)

27. Application Form – Section 9 • References Your Head of Department should provide a written reference. Also provide a name of a second referee who can be contacted, if needed. However, if you are applying via the Grand-parenting route, the second referee should also submit a reference in support of your application. It is also required that at least one reference should be from a person who is already bound by statutory regulation of practice. Please be aware if your Head of Department is not a registered practitioner you should supply a second reference from someone who has a good knowledge of your training and experience and who is either already on the Genetic Voluntary Register, or another state register. (continued)

28. Application Form – Section 9 • References If you have recently changed posts you will be required to supply a reference from your previous employer. Your referee(s) should confirm training, and any re-training undertaken and your overall competence to practice and recommend you for inclusion on the Voluntary Register. References must be on official headed paper (i.e. NHS, local Authority, etc), currently dated and signed. Please Note: Only references dated within 6 months of the date the application has been received by VRC Administration will be accepted.

29. Application Form – Section 10 • Declaration Read the Declaration. Sign and Date. • Additional charges for incomplete applications will be made therefore please ensure that you check your completed application carefully before sending it to VRC. A table of charges is available on the VRC website. • Ensure that all the sections of the application form have been completed. Enclose the written report, references and any additional sheets with the application form. Enclose the Cheque (currently £45, made out to “VRC”). Also submit photocopies of professional certificates.

30. Any Questions? • All general administration related enquiries should be directed to the VRC Registrar. • Voluntary Registration Council Executive Business Support Suite 4, Sovereign House 22, Gate Lane Boldmere Sutton Coldfield B73 5TT • Or: admin@vrcouncil.org;

31. Any Questions? • Modality specific enquires should be sent to your Registrar: • AAPTregistrar@vrcouncil.org • AGTCregistrar@vrcouncil.org • AOSPregistrar@vrcouncil.org • BARSregistrar@vrcouncil.org • BATBregistrar@vrcouncil.org • NACregistrar@vrcouncil.org • SCCTregistrar@vrcouncil.org