1.

Apologies for absence

Apologies were received from Lorraine Gaunt, Edna Maltby, Kim Smith, Selwyn Roberts and Nick Telford

2.

Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 2 September 2003

Page 2 Minute 4.2 Change Prenatal to Postnatal

Page 2 Minute 4.5 Change ALL to AML

Page 3 Minute 6.1.7 Change ‘…three assessment days per year.’ to ‘…three assessment windows per year.’

Page 5 Minute 11.1 Change Connel to Connell

Page 5 Minute 11.2 Change ‘Unfortunately none of the JLC is attending the meeting.’ to ‘Unfortunately none of the JLC will be able to attend the meeting.’

Page 6 Minute 14.3 Change centers to centres.

3.

Safety Advisor’s report

No report

4.

NEQAS

Presented by Ros Hastings

4.1

Eddy Maher appointed as Deputy Scheme Organiser.

4.2

RJH presented talks on the scheme at ECA meeting in Bologna, Italy and the Annual UKNEQAS meeting. Also gave a presentation at the A grade training week (on Quality in Diagnostic Cytogenetics labs)

4.3

Postnatal EQA round 2003- returns received and reports in preparation.

4.4

AML EQA round 2003- returns received. Assessors met on 1/12/03 to look at discrepancies. Reports to be written and collated.

4.5

Next year UKNEQAS for Clinical Cytogenetics hopes to have a web page for submissions. This should reduce the work for labs, Scheme Organiser and Assessors.

4.6

Prenatal and ALL EQA rounds to be sent out end of January/ beginning of February.

4.7

Pilot IT EQA scheme- Management system behind the web page is currently being developed and due to be finished in the New Year. This will allow labs to log on and see past performance. In addition the Scheme Organiser will be able to review summarised results and to add new cases. Aiming to pilot web based EQA with Steering committee in New Year before it is on line for all labs to access after April 2004.

4.8

Two new overseas laboratories now participate in the Cytogenetics EQA scheme.  A few overseas labs have not re-registered but variation in participation has occurred in previous years.

4.9

Revised performance criteria currently with NQAAP.

4.10

Professional Standards committee – Data collection. Data summaries and letter due to go out once amendments checked by committee.  It took three weeks to collate the 2 years data submissions. Committee aiming to have annual data collection and web based submission next year.

RJH asked for Council’s approval (as representatives of the HoDs) for her to use NEQAS time to collate the data in future.  It was commented that NHS staff assist NEQAS and that it was quid pro quo. Chair is to write to the steering committee formally requesting NEQAS to collect the data on behalf of the profession. Action Tony Parkin

It may be possible to set the data collection up using a web based system. RJH asked if the ACC could fund this, and it would cost about £1500. Council gave approval.

5.0

Education & Training

5.1

ETC Report

In the absence of Kim Smith Gordon Lowther presented the report previously circulated.

5.1.1

There has not been a meeting since the last council meeting, as the outcome of the consultation document will determine the ETC agenda for MTO training.

5.1.2

WDCs have been notified of the increase in the ACC trainee registration fee to £1800.

5.1.3

A-Grade training course

33 trainees attended the Postnatal course in Birmingham. Concern was expressed that two trainees apparently left before the course finished. Ros asked what feedback there would be. Council were informed that all trainees were provided with a feedback form. Rod Howell suggested that one or two residential tutors should be present to provide continuity and to act as a point of contact for the trainees during the evenings.

5.1.4

Internal assessor training

All training laboratories have now sent nominated internal assessors on a training course. Internal assessors are now in the process of observing assessments by external assessors.

5.1.4

Final assessment schedule

Final assessment dates have been scheduled for 2004. Requests for final assessments should be sent to Heather Ward in writing no later than 4 weeks prior to the required assessment date. Assessors have been circulated with the dates. Council requested that the dates should be circulated to Heads of Department and members of the JLC.

Dates of Finals 2004                              Deadline for application

Between 26/01/04 and 07/02/04             22/12/03

Between 03/05/04 and 14/05/04             05/04/04

Between 06/09/04 and 29/10/04             09/08/04

5.1.5

E-learning

Kim Smith and Gavin Cuthbert attended a stakeholder meeting on ‘Online learning for Genetics’, organised by the Manchester Reference Laboratory. Representatives from other professional groups, various universities and the JMGC were present. The professions acknowledged the potential of e-learning in general genetics, but stated that specialist training must be led by the profession. The NW WDC is to lead on e-learning issues and commissioning projects.

The professions were asked to propose topics, general or topic specific that could be used for a pilot course. This will be discussed at the next ETC meeting.

Mike Creasy made the point that Powerpoint presentations could be made available on CD-ROMs. Gavin Cuthbert had made enquiries about developing an e-learning system. This would cost about £2500. Gordon Lowther informed council that Glasgow has a karyotyping training system that can be loaded with the laboratories own images. This system could also be used for NEQAS.  Mike Creasy said that a sub-domain could be set up on the ACC website for educational purposes. It may be possible to get some funding from the DoH.  It was suggested that the ETC come back with some proposals.

Val Davison said that we should use the Genetics Knowledge Parks if it is beneficial, we don’t have to be independent. JW felt that we could work with other groups, but there was nothing to stop us getting started. Carolyn Campbell is working with the IDEAS knowledge park.  The Part 1 course run by IDEAS is well organised.

5.1.6

MSc in Clinical Cytogenetics

The MSc offered by Oxford Brookes University is now closed. A total of 13 cytogeneticists registered, and all were successful.

5.1.7

DoH Meeting on Training (19/12/03) – Discussion document for Council

Council discussed the draft responses document previously circulated by Kim Smith. The responses were collated by Gordon Lowther.

Amanda Dixon-M^cIver informed council that students begin to specialise in cytogenetics while still in university in New Zealand, and Val suggested that we should see what the UK universities could offer. ADM suggested that we should get students interested in cytogenetics right at the beginning.

5.1.8

Tony Parkin informed council that he had signed 10 PCCCs in the last 2 months.

5.1.9

Val Davison informed council that the ACC diploma closes at the end of December. 5 projects have been received in the last 3 weeks.

5.1.10

There is to be a JCMG meeting on training. Kim Smith was nominated to attend. Action KW to inform KS

5.2

Future ACC Membership – Consultation Document

RM reported that the document was nearly complete, and would be sent to MC for putting on the ACC website shortly. Copies would be e-mailed to all Heads of Department and the JLC would e-mail it to all trainees. The deadline for consultation will be extended until the end of February. Comments should be returned to RM for collation. Action RM

5.3

Professional Standards Committee

5.3.1

FISH Oncology Workshop

RH and VD expressed the view that the document had been out for consultation, and that it required ratification by council. PH raised a query about using probes after the expiry date, and it was felt that this was a matter of custom and practice. It was suggested that paragraph 1.4 should be amended to state that probes may be used after the expiry date. Council ratified the document with no further changes. A title page is to be added, and it will then be placed on the ACC website as a pdf file.

5.3.2

GL has completed his term on the committee and a new member is required.  An advertisement is to appear in the next BSHG newsletter and a person specification prepared. Action Secretary to inform EM

5.3.3

Topics for best practice workshops next year include rapid QF-PCR testing.

6.

Chairs Report

6.1

Registered Office. Following the vote at the Special General Meeting the registered office is now British Society for Human Genetics, Clinical Genetics Unit, Birmingham Women’s Hospital, Birmingham B15 2TG.

There were 43 votes for and 0 against the change.

6.2

Spring Meetings Venues for Spring Meetings have been agreed up until 2009.

             2004 York (Leeds laboratory)

             2005 Salisbury

             2006 London (Joint Kennedy-Galton/GOS)

             2007 Sheffield

             2008 Liverpool

             2007 Edinburgh

6.3

Genetics SAC

Lorraine Gaunt is the ACC nominee for the Genetics SAC at the Royal College of Pathologists. Jonathan Waters is also a member and Teresa Davies will stay on temporarily as a specialist advisor.

6.4

AGM

There was some discussion about whether the AGM should be moved to the Spring Meeting or remain at the BSHG meeting. There was some concern at the low turnout at the BSHG meeting. The Spring Meeting attracts more junior members. HHS stated that we need to educate the membership in the need to attend the AGM.

Any elections would need to be held before the next AGM and there is insufficient time to hold them before next Spring.  The consensus was to leave the AGM at the BSHG meeting.  A Professional forum meeting was also suggested for the Spring Meeting, but this received little support.

6.5

Federation of Healthcare Scientists (Life Sciences)

The FHCS is beginning to take shape, with a council made up of 12 representatives. Four are from IBMS, four from clinical scientist groups (ACB, ACC, CMGS and Immunology) and four from non-registered groups. The two main issues under discussion at present are revision of role descriptions for staff and ten key roles for HCS (DoH has them for AHP staff).

An executive board should have been appointed at the meeting on 28/11/03, but this was put on hold as the physiologists had no names to put forward. Sue Hill gave a presentation and introduced the cadet scheme. The Federation has no external funding, but Sue Hill may be able to provide some money for administrative support and a website.

7.

Genetics Commissioning Advisory Group report

Val Davison reported on the meeting held on 8 October. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales were upbeat because they were to receive significant funding.

UKGTN – The directory of tests has been published and distributed. There are some problems with commissioning as the PCTs have no funding to support the network and all tests are being done on a Provider-Provider basis.

BRACA testing is being considered separately as there is currently a backlog of 2000-3000 cases.

It is possible that the UKGTN may take on some aspects of cytogenetics testing such as breakage syndromes, or some specialised FISH and leukaemias.

The effect of screening on Genetics services was discussed. The effect of prenatal, CF and haemoglobinopathy screening on Genetics services has not been considered.

Quality Markers were presented by GenCAG. Data are collected from the commissioners and published. The document is restricted, but may be available on request. The minutes of the meeting are available on the website.

The molecular workload units and cytogenetics currencies both need some reworking as contract currencies. This work will be picked up through JMGC.

There was an update on the White Paper bids and the timetable for the second round.

8.

Science Committee reports

8.1

UKCCG

In the absence of Nick Telford there was no report. MC reported that the minutes from UKCCG meeting are on the ACC website.

8.2

CVS Database

Information on downloading the database has been sent to Heads of Departments. There is also a link from the ACC website. A password is required and is available from JW.

John is still awaiting the outcome of the bid to expand the database.

9.

RCPath

9.1

Covered under 6.3.

9.2

CE Marking

Jonathan Waters is part of the RCPath team, that with the ACB and some other groups is meeting with MHRA to discuss the implications of CE marking for Pathology and Genetics. It is felt that Cytogenetics laboratories will probably have to comply by self certification.

The Royal College and ACB will launch a number of roadshows in mid-2004 to give their members advice.

Council is awaiting the developments of the meetings with the MHRA and will offer support during 2004.

10.

JLC report

10.1

LC reported that Hazel Harvey-Smith will co-ordinate JLC items for the website with Mike Creasy. Chris Wragg will co-ordinate News Bulletin articles.

10.2

Registration

A registration workshop has been arranged for 12 December. This is for the London & Cambridge laboratories and will provide help with portfolios.

10.3

Spring Meeting

The JLC would like to organise a registration workshop at the Spring Meeting.  Prior to this they would like to canvas laboratories to discover how many trainees had gained registration. They were advised to contact Graham Groom at the ACS for some of this information.

The JLC would also like to meet Junior members as they register at the meeting and enquired about a social event for Junior members on the Sunday evening.

11.

Treasurer’s report

John Wolstenholme reported that funds were healthy at present, as training fees had just been received. A large amount of money is already committed.

12.

Correspondence

12.1

Letter from Barbara Gibbons, regarding employing cytogeneticists from overseas.  The employment process is slowed down by applying for work permits. At consultant level it is easier as the DTI has registered the grade as an occupational shortage. Employing other grades would be easier if they could be added to the list. Council agreed that it would support Barbara in attempting to extend the list.  Action Secretary to inform BG.

12.2

Consent & Confidentiality

The consultation document has now been published and a link can be found on the ACC website.

12.3

ECA

A UK co-ordinator is required for the register of Unbalanced Chromosome Abnormalities.

12.4

John Barber reported that the level of cytogenetics presentations at the BSHG meeting was low compared to other groups. The reasons for this were discussed. Rod Howell said that some presentations were downgraded from spoken to poster by BSHG. Val Davison also pointed out that many members went to Bologna this year.

John Barber had suggested some topics, eg not so balanced translocations, mosaicism, and extended chromatin. Another suggestion was that some advance knowledge of the topic to HoDs that could then encourage staff to submit a paper.senior members be persuaded to give a synoptic. The presenters of good papers at the Spring meeting could be invited to present at the BSHG meeting. It was also suggested that European and American cytogeneticists could be invited as speakers.

12.5

Tony Parkin has received the Professions in Health Care Sciences booklet to proof read.

12.6

The NPSA has contacted the ACC about Patient Safety Issues that affect Clinical Scientists.

12.7

Mike Creasy has received two requests to use images from our website. One is for computer training and the other is from a company called Vox-medica.

12.8

Mike has also received requests for promotional literature. They will be passed on to Steve Morris.

13

Matters arising from the minutes held on 2 September

13.1

The proposal for differential membership rates will be taken to the BSHG once the outcome of consultation document on ACC membership is known.

13.2

The Professional Guidelines document has not been published yet. It would need reviewing if it was to be resubmitted. Some guidelines can also be found in copies of the Cytogenetics Bulletin. Ways of making these more available were discussed

14

Applications for membership

The applicants from TDC will be invited to join as associate members.

15

Any Other Business

A Heads of Department meeting will be arranged for the end of May. Topics to be covered could include, Career Paths for HCS, CE Marking and training. Action Tony Parkin

16

Meeting dates 2004.

                 March 16

                 June 1

                 September 7  - to be confirmed

                 December 7

Venues to be confirmed

The meeting closed at 3:30pm