This change means that entry will not require HCPC registration as a Clinical Scientist and that Biomedical Scientists will be able to complete the programme with their existing HCPC registration.
The equivalence pathways for Clinical Scientist registration will be still be available if an individual chooses to do so, however, this will not be a requirement of the HSST programme.
Staff who registered using the old CPSM/HCPC logbook, which was prior to the introduction of the Specialist Diploma, would be eligible to access the HSST as it represents equivalence.
For Transfusion applicants the British Blood Transfusion Society (BBTS) Specialist diploma in Transfusion Science Practice can be used in place of the IBMS Specialist Diploma.
We do not currently have a histopathology HSST programme, but would be keen to do so in the future and the same eligibility criteria would be applied.
The same eligibility criteria would be applied for Biomedical Scientists, however the NSHCS does not commission posts in Northern Ireland so funding would need to be discussed with your regional health education commissioners.