DRAFT
ACC
Council Meeting Minutes
Tuesday
6th December 2005
Present: Tony Parkin (TP) [Chair],
Teresa
Davies (TD) [Secretary], John Wolstenholme
(JW) [Treasurer], Gordon
Lowther, Peter Howard,Edna Maltby, Kim Smith, John
Crolla, Jonathon Waters (JWa), Maj Hulten, Ros Hastings,
Michele Fenlon, Simon McCullough,
Chris Wragg, Amanda Dixon-McIver
Rod
Howell, Lorraine Gaunt, Rob Morgan, Val Davison and Hazel Harvey- Smith
TP
welcomed Maj Hulten as the new president. Selwyn Roberts, ACC Safety Officer
will no longer routinely attend but will attend as required.
2
Minutes of the Meeting held on September 6th 2005
Val Davison was noted twice in the
attendance list
Correct
spelling McColloch to McCullough
Amanda
Dixon-McIver was present
5.3 – TD to organise meeting not TP
6.2
change Will to will
6.5
change Federation of Healthcare Scientists to Federation For Healthcare Science
8.3 change though to through
3
Chair’s
Report
3.1
The Annual General Meeting at BSHG
Went
smoothly, although disappointment at low attendance.
All
resolution passed.
Maj
Hulten elected as President.
Rod
Howell to continue as Trustee - agreed.
Rule
Change – Up to 3 technologist members of Council.
1 to be elected in 2006 then 1 more each following year. Adopted
ACC
accounts accepted.
Auditors
accepted.
3.2 ACS meeting
18th
November. TP attended.
Meeting
to plan assessor training held 29th November 2005. There are 9
Assessors in place for cytogenetics who work together to ensure consistency.
JLC had previously received comments expressing concern about process but
this was felt to be reducing now more people have gone through the process and
most issues raised have now been addressed
Data
comparable overall from ACS between cytogenetics and other disciplines with
respect to returning portfolios for further information. It was noted that
assessors work in pairs and are matched with different ones each time to ensure
consistency. PH presented an
overview at the BSHG meeting which is now on the ACC website.
No changes planned to the process as MSc is under discussion to replace
pre registration training.
ACS
meeting also had presentation from Mark Searle, Chief Executive of HPC who
flagged up future consultation on post-registration qualifications. Registrants may be required to undertake re-validation
exercise. Registration may be of teams rather than individuals.
3.3
Federation
for HealthCare Science (fhcs)
AGM
was held on 2nd November 20, JWa attended.
Included
two presentations
Chris
Pearson (Director of Programme, Skills for Health) on the aim to embed HCS NOS
into practice and learning and establish national career and qualifications
networks.
Peter
Sharp, Chairman of Physical Sciences and Engineering Section of the fhcs
discussed the future of training for HealthCare Scientists.
The
funding for fhcs has up to now been by DH but there will need to be a membership
levy in the future, possibly £1
per member.
3.4
Launch of Career Framework for
Healthcare Scientists: (JWa attended)
Documents
now on website
www.dh.gov.uk/publications
ACC
professional body is the member not individuals.
Need to be included otherwise miss out.
Council agree in principle.
TP
is representative from ACS on Federation. Federation
brings HCS together as one body.
New
advisors to replace DH Assessors for appointments at band 8 and 9 with advice
based on career framework.
TP
was asked if it was intended to use current assessors as new
advisors on Clinical Scientist appointments – not yet clear.
3.5
KSF
Target
is to have KSF outlines in place by end December 2005. Noted the guidance in
framework document not very explicit. ACC
in process of drafting KSFs for bands 2-9. CMGS are shadowing ACC in producing
KSFs.
3.6
NOS Workshop 13-14 October 2005
TP,
VD & Stuart Imrie
met Skills for Health Team Manager Pippa Hodgson and
Project Managers Michelle Logan and Martin Broom.
Development Manager interviews being held 7th December 2005.
Skills for Health want to work with genetics early so will look at
pre-registration training. Work to include scope and practice guidelines.
3.7
Reference Laboratories
First
period of funding coming to end in 2007. ACC
responded to request from DH on future direction of Reference Laboratories.
3.8
Definition of Junior Member of ACC
Current
definition is at or below B16. May need to have a rule change at next AGM but
thought to be enough flexibility in current rules for 2006 elections pending AFC
completion. Agree to interpret
“junior” as AFC band 7. Will need formal rule change at next AGM.
3.9
UKNEQAS report from Steering Group meeting 5th December.
Reviewing
ideal number of cases per year. Need
to assess across whole range but not necessarily annually.
May recommend limit of 20 cases per year across the scheme, whilst
complying with duty to cover all tissues but not necessarily every year.
Concerns that staff no longer see UKNEQAS in a positive light.
Annual
report due in New Year and will
elicit
feedback from the profession.
KS
asked if the best practice guidelines inform standards for UKNEQAS - yes they do
Noted
new ISCN 2005 now published – expect to use for UKNEQAS from April 2006.
3.10
Retirement of David Couzin
TP
wrote on behalf of ACC to express thanks for his contribution to the profession
and to send best wishes.
3.11
A grade training
8
PCCC certificates signed.
3.12
National Screening committee
Karyotyping
prenatal samples referred through Down Screening programme -no formal response
yet received, although thought to be imminent
4
Restructuring
Council
Trustees
(RH, VD, JC) have been asked to consider structure of ACC Council.
JC
has put draft notes together for consideration by other Trustees.
One
suggestion is to have an ACC Council Executive body with sub-committees feeding
in information through representatives. Plan
to circulate draft prior to the next meeting.
Any change would need to comply with rules of Friendly Society.
Aim to present to next AGM. Other
options may be to form a Limited Company or charitably status as BSHG
Report
circulated.
5.1
Internal
Assessor Training
Three
day training to be held in May 2006.
5.2 Technologists
Joint
ACC/CMGS meeting held to agree on what is required of technologists to be
considered ‘fit for purpose’ at
point of registration. ACC and CMGS also
working together on joint competence criteria on ‘Scope of Practice’.
5.3
RCPath
Workforce Database
Start-up
funding for this is for first 2 years. Discussion on how this should continue.
TP raised the question of do we want to pay for something we already get
through ACC collection for the benefit of the DH want. Require more information
and detail before we can support paying for this.
Vote – unanimous – not to pay.
Also
need to consider the linking of workload with workforce. Concern if data is submitted individually as to the accuracy
of the final data. To be raised at
next RCPath Council.
5.4
DH
trainer posts
Kirsty
Toone (Norfolk, Suffolk
and Cambridge WDD) is point of contact
for funding which will be based on AfC pay bands.
Five posts funded (3.0 wte)
5.5
DH
National Trainer
Gavin
Cuthbert still not being paid by DH.
Current
A grade trainees will continue until at least 2008 but Gavin’s funding ends
before then. Concern over gap in
funding
JW
stated the administrator post to support Gavin not yet appointed which is adding
to pressure on Gavin’s time.
5.6
AFC
and Trainees
Concern
that WDD trainees
are not funded fully under AfC. Noted
that White Paper trainees are being fully funded.
6
Technical
Training
VRC
met end of November. Launch date of
Voluntary Register April 2006. Not
yet Limited Company but expect documentation to be in place early 2006.
Next meeting is in February. Ready
to commence registration process.
Framework
for education does not need to be in
place by then. Voluntary register
will run for a minimum of 2 years.
HPC representative will attend next VRC meeting.
It would be useful to publicise prior to launch of voluntary
registration. Possibly have meeting for ACC technical staff before April.
Council
supported this. TP said it would be
useful if CMGS and ACC were to ratify actions of AGTC.
ACS may be asked
to provide advice on the assessment process.
The
2nd VRC newsletter will be available soon.
Noted
that 25% of technologists have to be members of ACC to be accepted by HPC.
7 Professional
Standards Committee
Last meeting held 18th October
7.1
EM, EUROP LEUK NETWORK –will try to get copy on a website used by
PSC draft haem/mc to incorporate them.
7.2
QF PCR workshop needed (especially troubleshooting). QF PCR User Group
Network (Sue Hamilton) is now in place so probably not need workshop at
present.
7.3
Ros H is involved in producing European Cytogenetics Guidelines, which
are in preparation. See
web site
www.eurogentest.org.
7.4
FISH in multiple myeloma - guidelines from EMM have been placed on ACC
website for information only – note:
not ratified by Council.
7.5
PSC page on ACC website under development.
7.6
UK data collection also to be done through Ros H. A number of problems -
Council agreed to develop website to
collect audit data. TP requested costs/options for developing data collection.
To
ask HOD about utility of data – do we
want it? Proposal to next Council
re need for data and costs to develop it further.
7.7
PND guidelines ratified following comments at last Council, now on ACC
website.
7.8
Draft Haematology guidelines -
Cardiff workshop difficult due to number of areas needing discussion.
Few decisions were made. Fiona
Ross, Sarah Ryley and Helen
Dickinson have put together draft framework - out to profession for comment with
end of November deadline.
7.9
SOPs for running a workshop now developed on ACC website.
7.10
Progress
with main guidelines hinge on new ISCN and changes in banding
scores with PSC. Draft after
January meeting.
7.11
Future
Workshop – Postnatal: Cambridge
in May.
7.12
CVS questionnaire
underway.
7.13
Sarcomas – cross discipline with Histopathology for guidelines.
Preliminary meeting
has taken place – possibly meeting in March.
7.14
PSC
will present update at ACC
Spring meeting.
8
GENCAG report
8.1 Minuted that UKGTN to invite specialist Cytogenetics labs to join.
8.2
Sub group of UKGTN is looking at microarray technology .
CVS database- new one
released a few weeks ago. A paper
has been submitted to journal Prenatal Diagnosis about the database.
10
JCMG/RCPath/BSHG
reports
SAC held on 24.11.05. John Old is new Chair
10.1 John Crolla now JCMG chair, Gayle Norbury takes over from Steve Abbs.
10.2
UKGTN website now live. Funding
for commissioning route remains unclear.
10.3
The JCMG draft Consent and Confidentiality document is now with Scottish
lawyers – to be published shortly.
10.4 Human Tissues Act – outcome of draft consultation expected April 2006.
10.5 Metabolic Biochemistry – pathways of care for metabolic testing published. www.metbio.net
10.6 Nothing more on IVVD
10.7 Trainees at RCPath collected feedback from ACC/CMGS on views about
Part 2 exam – 49 may sit Part 2 in the next 5 years.
10.8 John Old – new Vice President of RCPath.
10.9 JWa– confirmed as RCPath representative on ACC Committee
10.10 Sian Morgan – confirmed as representative on ACC Committee (Trainee)
10.11 Closer links with Histopathology SAC – exploring areas of common interest feedback
10.12 Move to modular exam for MRCPath part 1 exam from 2007 with written in Spring and practical in autumn.
10.12 JC reported HST funding – limited period of funding, 50/50 and only available in some areas.
11
JLC
Report
Session at York to discuss Registration was poorly attended, may be due to publicity and timing of the session . Now felt to be enough experience in labs to support individuals now registration had been in place for some time. A session is planned for the Spring meeting – aim for pre-reg trainees. JLC has continued to work to maintain communication with junior.
12
Treasurer report
Accounts healthy. No bids for travel awards received
Cytogenetics now approved as shortage occupation which will make it easier to get work permits for “suitably qualified” overseas applicants. Thanks to Barbara Gibbons
14
Application for
membership
None received from BSHG
Action TD to check with Ruth Cole.
Information discussed previously. Ethics approval received, no action yet.
Now agreed. Document on ACC website.
Option of Edinburgh but too expensive. Venue to be agreed. All UK noted to be expensive.
BSHG – suggestions not accepted. Suggestion from ADM accepted
Should we change name to Association for Clinical Cytogenetics – would require rule change?
19
Rare chromosome support group
MH drew council’s attention to the group which produces information for parents – available on web site www.rarechromo.org.
Noted
that DH announced testing new diagnosis Breast Cancers for Her 2 -which involves
FISH testing. Currently done in Oxford/Sheffield/Dundee/Bristol
Dates
for 2006:
March 7th
Sept 5th
June
6th
Dec 5th
The
meeting closed at 3.45 pm