Introduction by Owen Driskell, Deputy HSST Training Programme Director
A brown paper envelope arrived at my address this month marked ‘On His Majesty’s Service’. It was surreptitiously addressed to ‘The Resident’. “This is it,” I thought, “MI6 have finally recognised my potential as a secret service agent and are reaching out with my recruitment papers.”
The turning over of the envelope revealed a seemingly more mundane explanation. The return address was for the Office of National Statistics. I had missed the omission of the word ‘Secret’ from the phrase ‘On His Majesty’s Service’. Ah well, my 20-year-old ASDA price tuxedo would have to wait yet longer for its next outing.
Whilst I was ‘The Resident’ in question, the request was not for me to sit in some bar in a faraway land, sipping cocktails – shaken not stirred – whilst observing and foiling the actions of some foreign adversary. (I promise there’ll be only two more references to James Bond for those not getting it, or already sick of it.) My actual task was described in the letter as even more grander. I was invited to take part in ‘Shaping Tomorrow’. To do this I was to fill in an online survey.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics. They are responsible for collecting, analysing and publishing data on the UK’s economy, population and society. They collect that data by conducting both household and business surveys as well as accessing existing records from government departments such as the HMRC, the Department for Work and Pensions and the NHS.
These data and stats aren’t just numbers. Their uses impact on daily life, influencing everything from local bus routes, mortgage rates and grocery bills, job prospects and travel costs to national economic policy. The UK Government relies heavily on data from the ONS to shape, evaluate, and refine public policy across virtually every sector, including healthcare.
Survey fatigue is a reality that needs to be considered. However, without the data from the ONS the Government and other organisations would have to make decisions effectively blindfold. Potentially, money would be put in the wrong places. We wouldn’t know how many schools, hospitals or transport links were needed in different areas. Emerging crises might be missed, and it would leave fertile ground for the perpetuation of misinformation. The importance of my time to fill in the survey was clear. I was to contribute to the better use of money, time and resources. For King and Country!
This edition of the Monthly Memo includes two activities the School is running to contribute to training and education provision for healthcare scientists in a similar way. The first is a new initiative to improve the recognition of the impact of the work that HSSTs carry out. The School are collecting data on the research undertaken by HSSTs allowing their impact and contributions to NHS improvements to be better demonstrated and promoted. The aim is to curate a persuasive dataset to continue to influence decisions on the ongoing training and development of Consultant Clinical Scientists as leaders in the NHS. To do this, the ask of HSSTs is to complete a relatively short survey, which we will then ask you to complete on an annual basis. Downloading your submitted returns also allows a mechanism by which you might track your own development over the course of the programme. The second is an announcement of the new, lighter-touch Annual Review of Progression (ARP) process for HSSTs which is also coming soon. The ARP is one way the School can support your progress on HSST and an opportunity for you to accurately reflect on your training plans and progress against them. So, please take the time to read the requests about ARP and the annual research survey when they arrive.
The ask of me from the Office of National Statistics was comparable, so I went about my work on behalf of ‘His Majesty’s – not so secret – Service’.
Information for trainees
New annual HSST research survey
You will be sent an email very shortly asking you to complete the new HSST research survey. This is a new process which will be repeated on an annual basis. The survey will only take 10 to 15 minutes of your time to complete. Here are a few reasons to do so:
- A copy of your completed survey submission can be added to OneFile on an annual basis to evidence your professional and research development over the course of the HSST programme. This may be linked to several of the Standards of Proficiency.
- Publishing your research titles, abstracts and outputs on our website will promote your work and may lead to collaborations with other HSSTs and centres.
- The published research titles and abstracts provide a valuable resource for new and future HSSTs.
- The data on HSST research impacts will be used to influence decisions on the ongoing training and development of Consultant Clinical Scientists as leaders in the NHS.
Information for trainees and supervisors
HSST Annual Review of Progression to be re-launched
Following a lighter-touch review of progress for our HSSTs in 2024, the HSST Annual Review of Progression (ARP) is being reinstated in 2025 but with a few changes, as follows:
- All HSSTs and their supervisors will be contacted with an online form in which we intend to check your current training data and state of progress relating to the DClinSci, OneFile, professional assessments (FRCPath, CEng and/or Independent Assessment of Practical Skills (IAPS) and expected completion timelines, including any adjustments approved by the school such as parental leave, or extensions via the EEC policy.
- HSSTs must as a minimum confirm the accuracy of the data that is held by the school or indicate if there are any differences in a timely way through this process.
- HSSTs and their supervisors will then be invited as part of the online form to identify any issues affecting their progress by exception; i.e., if all is going well you don’t have to complete this part of the form. If there are issues then take the opportunity to tell us what they are so we can put support in place to assist you.
- The universities delivering the DClinSci will be invited separately to identify any concerns by exception.
- You will no longer receive an assessed outcome from this process as it has been redesigned to focus on your support needs. However, this is your opportunity to receive support for your training if you need it. Failure to notify us of problems when given the opportunity via ARP may impact on our ability to support your application in the event you require adjustments to your training such as extensions or interruptions.
- All active trainees in all years 2 to 6 will be included in the process. Anyone who is not actively training, e.g. due to interruption or parental leave, will have the opportunity at the next ARP or can contact us separately to let us know of any issues with their training.
We anticipate the form will be sent to you in early November 2025 so that anyone requiring support can be identified before the end of the calendar year and support meetings offered early in the new year.
We hope this is a welcome adjustment to the support available for your training. We are continuing to update our guidance on this revised process on the school’s website so please check there regularly for updates. Otherwise, we will be in touch in October with further information.
Sharing Good Practice webinar series
We are pleased to announce the following Sharing Good Practice webinar. Trainees and supervisors are welcome to attend.
Practical applications of Generative AI tools in Healthcare Education and Training
Friday 21 November 2025 – 10am to 11:30am
View further details and register for this webinar
Are you using AI in your clinical practice?
If you or your network are using AI in your clinical practice, we would like to invite you to present your experience as part of our Sharing Good Practice series. If you are interested, please express an interest via the form linked to below.
Express an interest in sharing your practice
Information for supervisors
Do you need to attend the HSST Train the Trainer webinar?
If you are new to the role of HSST supervisor, you are expected to attend a train the trainer event which will introduce you to the programme and your responsibilities.
You are welcome to attend this live webinar even if you have received certification for engaging with the recording of the previous one. The details are as follows:
HSST Train the Trainer
Thursday 6 November 2025 – 10am to 3pm
View further details and register for this webinar
Missed a previous edition of the HSST Monthly Memo?
You will find previous copies of the HSST Monthly Memo on our website.