Message from Lisa Ayers, HSST Training Programme Director
Welcome to first HSST monthly memo of 2021. Thank you for continuing to go above and beyond for the NHS during this time. With this year getting off to such a difficult start I just wanted to highlight some of the health and wellbeing links available to you at this time, which are listed below.
The option to apply for a COVID-related interruption is still available via OneFile if you feel it is currently not possible to continue with training. Please note these COVID interruptions will apply to both your workplace and academic training. If alternatively you only wish to pause an element of the academic programme without altering your completion date, such as deferring a module, you are able to do so by contacting the University and MAHSE directly.
Please see below the opportunities to contribute to the STP core and specialty curriculum stakeholder review. This is a great way of getting involved with national work and could contribute to several Standards of Proficiency, especially 4.2 ‘Advise on national training requirements and curriculum for the breadth of training in the scientific workforce’.
Finally, this will be my last monthly memo for a while as I will be going on maternity leave in early February. So I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce my colleague Owen Driskell who will be covering the HSST Training Programme Director post this year. Welcome Owen.
Thanks Lisa, and hello. I have been at the School for over a year now working across the School’s different functions and am delighted to be covering the HSST Training Programme whilst Lisa is away. I look forward to working with you all in this important work to train Consultant Clinical Scientists.
STP curriculum review open
Throughout January and February we’ll be asking stakeholders for feedback on the drafts of the new curriculum content. We will be starting with the core curriculum followed by the specialty curricula.
We’ll be asking stakeholders to take a look at the curriculum and provide feedback through a survey, the process should take around an hour. Feedback will inform the final curricula and will help to shape the future of the Scientist Training Programme.
Click here to find out how your can provide your feedback for the STP curriculum review
IAPS dates for 2021
To be able to sit the Independent Assessment of Professional Skills (IAPS) assessment you will need to submit a showcase of your OneFile evidence, therefore all Standards of Proficiency must have been signed off by your Workplace Supervisor three months prior to the assessment.
If you are considering siting the IAPS in May 2021, you will need to have full sign off on OneFile by 10th February 2021.
Click here to find out more about the Independent Assessment of Professional Skills (IAPS) assessment dates for 2021
COVID applications for interruption
The option to apply for a COVID-related interruption is still available via OneFile if you feel it is currently not possible to continue with training.
Please note these COVID interruptions will apply to both your workplace and academic training. If alternatively you only wish to pause an element of the academic programme without altering your completion date, such as deferring a module, you are able to do so by contacting the University and MAHSE directly.
Click here to find information about applications for interruption to training due to COVID (Expired link)
The Journal of Healthcare Science
To further publicise the work of healthcare scientists we are going to be launching the Journal of Healthcare Science. The aim of the Journal is to provide a platform for the Healthcare Science workforce to publish and showcase their original work to their peers and the wider healthcare community. We will welcome a variety of papers focusing on empirical scientific or clinical research papers. Papers focusing on innovations, service improvement and development will be also be considered if these present a breakthrough or novel perspectives on healthcare science.
We will be putting out a call for papers for the initial issue soon so please be thinking of work that you might wish to submit a paper on. More details on how to submit these ideas for consideration will follow soon.
Trainee support
The third Monday of January has been awarded the gloomy title of Blue Monday due to a combination of post-Christmas blues and cold dark nights. But this year you might also be worried about COVID and how it could affect your life and your workload.
We are again in a period of increased uncertainty and looking after ourselves remains vital for our families, our colleagues and the work we do, as well as ourselves.
We have produced large amounts of material to help you do this.
Click here to find out what support and online resources are available to you
Healthcare Science Week 2021
Healthcare Science Week is your chance to tell the local community and other health professionals first-hand about how science and technology are vital in modern patient care and changes lives for the better.
Healthcare Science Week 2021 will take place from the 5th – 14th March 2021.
Click here to find out what you can do during Healthcare Science Week
HSST applications open in February
We are delighted to announce that applications for the 2021 Higher Specialist Scientist Training programme open on Tuesday 16th February at 11am. Applications for in-service entry close on Monday 22nd March.
Click here to find out more about the 2021 application process (Expired link)