What we did
For each STP specialty, we recruited an experienced Healthcare Scientist to fulfil the role of Lead Editor. Each Lead Editor headed a Specialty Curriculum Review Group. The Review Groups were facilitated by the School and included:
- clinical scientists
- healthcare scientists
- healthcare professionals
- academics
- professional body members
The Review Groups drafted a revised specialty curriculum. Once drafted the revised curriculum was reviewed in a three stage process and amended as appropriate. The three stages of review included:
- review by stakeholders to ensure the curricula was scientifically robust and met the needs of the workforce
- review by the School to ensure the curricula met our quality standards
- review to ensure the curriculum meet the standards of proficiency required of a Clinical Scientist
The curriculum process was overseen by our regulator, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) who also approved the finalised curriculum.
Involving patients in the review
Patients are at the heart of everything healthcare scientists do. To make sure this is represented in the STP, we embedded patient representatives at the heart of our review of the curricula.
We recruited for Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Curriculum Group members to work alongside the subject expert’s reviewing the curriculum content. Group members were asked to provide lay guidance and insight from the patient and public viewpoint.
Once drafted, the revised curricula was reviewed by stakeholders. Lay members were included in this review and encouraged to provide feedback. By taking the views of all stakeholders into consideration we make sure that the curriculum meets the needs of the specialty workforce, health service, patients and public.