Information for trainees
STP Completion 2025 – Make sure your modules are signed off
Trainees whose OneFile portfolios are due for completion on Monday 21 September should be ensuring that their modules are signed off when they reach 100%. If you have reached 100% in a module and your Training Officer is unable to sign it off, it means you haven’t submitted the appropriate minimum number of each type of work-based assessment.
Remember – each assessment must be submitted individually and must be submitted using the correct assessment submission type (e.g. CBD, DOPS, OCE). If you have not submitted each assessment individually or have not used the correct assessment submission type, you will need to resubmit your assessment evidence using the correct submission type and have those submissions re-signed off ahead of the 21 September deadline. Your Training Officer can do this as a formality as the assessment has already been signed off by another assessor.
If your module is compliant and simply hasn’t been signed off by your Training Officer, please liaise with them to ensure your modules are signed off by the 21 September deadline.
Sharing Good Practice webinar
Reflective practice through verbal dialogue: a case study from a Medical Physics STP
Wednesday 16 September 2026 – 9:30am to 11am
Deirbhile Sharkey, an STP trainee and Jonathan Cole, their STP Training Officer, will describe how they co-developed a technique for reflective practice through verbal dialogue. They found that this was not only straightforward and time-efficient, but also beneficial for both learning and reflecting on work practices within the wider department.
View further details and register for this webinar
First year trainees – Are you ready for your first progression review by the school in September 2026?
The school reviews the progress of STP trainees annually.
By the end of September 2026, you should have:
- completed all phase/year 1 rotations on the e-portfolio
- completed an end of year review meeting between trainee and Training Officer that is recorded using the review meeting tool on the e-portfolio between 1 September to 30 September
Hopefully all is going well and you have enjoyed your first year of training so far. To prepare for your review in September you and your Training Officer should make sure you familiarise yourselves with the review of progression process and requirements on the school’s website.
If you do have any issues affecting your progress you or your Training Officer will be able to let us know during the review window by exception via the raising a concern process which will be open to you in early September via email.
Drop-in sessions
We are offering a series of drop-in sessions for trainees and/or their Training Officers to discuss any queries with the school regarding the review of progress. These are open sessions and entirely voluntary in order to offer further support and guidance if needed. There will be no new or additional information presented at the sessions but we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
View the details of our drop-in sessions
Out of sync trainees
Trainees who are out of sync for any reason, e.g. due to interruptions such as parental leave or other authorised adjustments, will be contacted separately by the school to confirm the review window for their training if this isn’t taking place in September 2026.
Otherwise, if you have any questions or concerns about your progress please do contact the school at england.nshcs@nhs.net and we will be happy to advise you.
Second year trainees – Are you ready for your second progression review by the school in September 2026?
The school reviews the progress of STP trainees annually.
By the end of September 2026, you should have:
- completed all phase/year 1 rotation modules on the e-portfolio
- completed an end of year review meeting between trainee and Training Officer that is recorded using the review meeting tool on the e-portfolio between 1 September to 30 September
- completed 50% of the Professional Foundations of Healthcare and Clinical Science module
- 100% completion of phase 2 Research Skills in Healthcare Science module
- 100% completion of phase 2 specialty modules (route 1) or 60% overall OneFile completion (route 2)
Hopefully all is going well and you have enjoyed your second year of training. To prepare for your review in September you and your Training Officer should make sure you familiarise yourselves with the review of progression process and requirements on the school’s website.
If you do have any issues affecting your progress you or your Training Officer will be able to let us know during the review window by exception via the raising a concern process which will be open to you in early September via email.
Drop-in sessions
We are offering a series of drop-in sessions for trainees and/or their Training Officers to discuss any queries with the school regarding the review of progress. These are open sessions and entirely voluntary in order to offer further support and guidance if needed. There will be no new or additional information presented at the sessions but we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
View the details of our drop-in sessions
Out of sync trainees
Trainees who are out of sync for any reason, e.g. due to interruptions such as parental leave or other authorised adjustments, will be contacted separately by the school to confirm the review window for their training if this isn’t taking place in September 2026.
Otherwise, if you have any questions or concerns about your progress in the meantime please do contact the school at england.nshcs@nhs.net and we will be happy to advise you.
HCPC student competition – Design a learning session for a chance to win a £300 voucher prize
STP trainees have the opportunity to enter the annual HCPC student competition, with the deadline of Tuesday 1 September 2026. Previous years have seen STP trainees win first place and runner’s up prizes, and the competition gives a great opportunity to represent your profession and specialty and to demonstrate your learning and skills.
Find out more about the HCPC student competition
West Midlands Healthcare Science Trainee Network
As the new academic year approaches, we would like to reintroduce the West Midlands Healthcare Science Trainee Network and welcome both new and existing trainees across the region. The network exists to support healthcare science trainees by:
- Providing peer support throughout training.
- Facilitating professional development and training opportunities.
- Sharing experiences and best practice across specialties.
- Representing trainee perspectives within the region and communicating the feedback to the National School of Healthcare Science.
We currently represent STP trainees across the West Midlands and are keen to engage with trainees from all healthcare science specialties. Our aim is to create an inclusive community where trainees can connect, collaborate, and learn from one another, regardless of their specialties or training environment.
Being part of the network offers a range of opportunities, including:
- Building connections with trainees and professionals across the region.
- Accessing support with training activities.
- Arranging observational visits and networking opportunities across departments and specialties.
- Participating in Professional Foundations (S-C1) training activity events, where trainees can present their work and learn from others. There are also opportunities to fulfil the requirements for
- Professional Foundations training activities and assessments at some of these events.
- Attending welcome events, educational sessions, and social gatherings design to strengthen our healthcare science community.
We are passionate about creating a supportive and engaging trainee network that helps individuals thrive during training and encourages talented healthcare scientists to build their careers within the West Midlands. We would love to hear from you, whether you are a student, Training Officer or a healthcare scientist who would like to speak at an event. To stay involved about upcoming events, opportunities, and resources, please email us at: mailto:westmidlandshcstn@gmail.com
Information for Training Officers
STP Induction 2026
We will be holding the 2026 Scientist Training Programme Induction online via Microsoft Teams. It will be held over 2 half-days:
Day 1 – ‘Becoming a Clinical Scientist’ will take place on Thursday 10 September
View the agenda for day 1
Day 2 – ‘Managing your programme’ will take place on Friday 11 September
View the agenda for day 2
On both days the events will start at 9:30am and finish at approximately 1:15pm.
Trainees joining the STP in September will need to attend this key event as part of their induction to the training programme.
STP induction for new trainers
Wednesday 23 September 2026 – 10:30am to 12:30pm
If you are new to the role of STP Training Officer, you are expected to attend an induction webinar which will introduce you to the programme and your responsibilities.
View further details and register for this webinar
Sharing Good Practice webinar
Reflective practice through verbal dialogue: a case study from a Medical Physics STP
Wednesday 16 September 2026 – 9:30am to 11am
Deirbhile Sharkey, an STP trainee and Jonathan Cole, their STP Training Officer, will describe how they co-developed a technique for reflective practice through verbal dialogue. They found that this was not only straightforward and time-efficient, but also beneficial for both learning and reflecting on work practices within the wider department.
View further details and register for this webinar
Are you interested in exploring the Training Officer role further?
We have recently held a number of webinars as part of our Training Officer Spotlight series. The recordings from these sessions can be found in the Sharing Good Practice catalogue on our website. The details are below:
The role of the training officer as personal tutor, coach and mentor webinar
View further details and watch the recording of the webinar
Strategies to develop independent learning in work-based training
View further details and watch the recording of the webinar
Designing effective workplace training: Differentiated approaches and training methods
View further details and watch the recording of the webinar
Developing a motivating training environment
View further details and watch the recording of the webinar
These recordings, along with additional resources, are also available in the NSHCS Healthcare Science Training Resources catalogue in the NHS Learning Hub.
Access the Training Officer Spotlight series in the NHS Learning Hub
Shape the future of the STP curriculum
Get involved in developing the curriculum
The next cycle of curriculum rolling review starts in the new academic year. We are looking for:
- Lead Editors for Clinical Informatics and Urodynamic Sciences
- Curriculum Reviewers for the Life Sciences periodic review
Details on how to apply will be shared in the next STP Monthly Memo.
Find out more about the Lead Editor and Curriculum Reviewer roles
Suggest updates to the curriculum
There is still time to submit feedback on the STP curriculum to inform next year’s rolling review. Feedback can be submitted through the Curriculum Library until Friday 18 September. Feedback received after this date will be considered in the following review cycle.
Submit your feedback in the Curriculum Library
Changes made to curricula
Periodic reviews of Genomic Sciences and Clinical Engineering are now complete. The approved changes, linked to below, have been published and will be incorporated into the 2027 curriculum.
View changes made to the Genomic Sciences curriculum
View changes made to the Clinical Engineering curriculum
Are you interested in sharing your practice?
If you or your network have developed practice that you feel could be valuable to share with your peers, please express an interest in sharing your practice via the form linked to below.
Express an interest in sharing your practice
Missed a previous edition of the STP Monthly Memo?
You will find previous copies of the STP Monthly Memo on our website.