1

Apologies

Teresa DAVIES, Selwyn ROBERTS, and Kim SMITH

2

Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on Tuesday 11^th June 2002

i

Item 3 line 7. Delete…… inviting further comments

ii

Item 4 line 2. Replace been with being.

iii

Item 4 iv). Add…to look at…

iv

Item 4 iv). Change out to at.

v

Item 4 vii). Semenology.

vi

Item 5 iii). ACTION. Replace and with a

vii

Item 6 iv). Second para. Should read The ACC has been asked to evaluate our proposed system and also to establish the reasons why labs which originally volunteered to participate in the piloting of the scheme have subsequently not.

viii

Item 6 iv). Lines 13 and 14 Replace been with being.

ix

Item 6 ix). Third last line replace their with its annual.

x

Item 6 x). Change FCS to FHCS.

xi

Item 6 xi). Replace following with a number of.

xii

Item 8 ii). line 2. Change centers to centres.

xiii

Item 9 iii). Change ABC to ACB.

xiv

Item 12 iii). Delete the word who.

3

Safety Advisor's Report

Selwyn Roberts e-mailed the following report.
The document "Prevention of Infection with Cytomegalovirus, Parvovirus, nvCJD & Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Cytogenetics Laboratories" has been placed on the ACC website.

4

NEQAS/CPA

NEQAS

Teresa Davies e-mailed the following.

a

A Scheme Organizer had still not been found and the future of NEQAS was an item for discussion at the meeting 'Current and Future Issues for Clinical Cytogenetics in the NHS, a participatory workshop' scheduled for 10^th September.

b

The next Steering Group meeting will be 30^th September.

c

Val Davison reported that the informal group of volunteers who had agreed to provide a ‘skeleton’ NEQAS would distribute the prenatal EQA round in the next 2 weeks. Edna Maltby was making progress with the constitutional blood EQA slide distribution.

d

It was confirmed that CPA accreditation had now been withdrawn from the scheme.

Following a question from David Stevenson regarding the Haematology Scheme it was reported that Mike Griffiths had agreed to take a lead on this aspect of the scheme.

CPA

a

Lorraine Gaunt reported that an e-mail had gone to all heads of departments inviting applications for new assessors. New assessors would be trained not only in the new standards, but also in communication and interpersonal skills.

b

Lorraine stated that assessors had been assigned to all genetics laboratories which had applications for inspection in under the old standards.

5

Education & Training / Professional Standards Committee

5.1

Education & Training

Lorraine informed Council that:

a

The meeting had also attempted to address some of the problems being encountered by Grade A Training. There had been a wide ranging discussion of the assessment process and some of the issues raised would be taken forward to the Sept. 10^th meeting.

b

A questionnaire had been put together by Stuart Imrie and Kim Smith following discussions at a meeting chaired by Steve Abbs. This addressed problems around the issues of recruitment and retention and was to be distributed to HoDs for feedback at the meeting on 10^th Sept.

c

Lorraine reported that the current Workforce planning document had been distributed by Stuart Imrie and that a copy had been sent to the DoH. John Wolstenholme drew everyone’s attention to the alarmingly high number of ‘leavers’ reported in last years’ figures.

5.2

Professional Standards Committee

The relationships of the Best Practice Guidelines Committee, the Education and Training Committee and the Scientific Committee were discussed.

ACTION  Secretary to email copy of ratified document to HoDs prior to 10^th September meeting.

6

Chair's Report

Lorraine Gaunt presented this report.

a

BSHG Council meeting due 22^nd Sept.

b

Joint Committee on Medical Genetics meeting due 22^nd Oct.

c

ACS The requirements for State Registration are now available. These can be obtained from the ACS office (info@assclinsci.org) or downloaded from the website at www.assclinsci.org. This includes information on generic competencies, specific cytogenetic competencies and the production of portfolios.

There had been 10 positive responses to the call for assessors. The names had been forwarded to the ACS though it was unclear if all would be ratified at present.

d

The ACC had been asked to respond to several documents:-

i

Federation of Health Care Science Structure document had not been responded to yet but Simon Larkins had drafted an initial response.

ACTION Lorraine Gaunt and Katie Waters to review Simon’s draft before submission.

ii

Funding Learning and Development (www.doh.gov.uk/fundingconsultation)

ACTION Simon Larkins volunteered to draft a response (deadline 25^th Oct.)

iii

Health Professions Council. Response required to the series of questions posed in the mini-prospectus. (deadline 30^th Sept.)

iv

Human Bodies, Human Choices (www.doh.gov.uk/tissue)

ACTION Debra Lillington to draft reply (deadline 14^th Oct.)

v

Pathology the Essential Service (www.doh.gov.uk/pathologymodernisation) (deadline 30^th Sept.)

7

GenCAG Report

Val Davison reported that as of 1^st July, Marcia Fry had become chair of GenCAG (replacing Sir John Patterson).

a

Development bid monies should now be with the Trusts and PCTs.

b

Not all the contracts for the Knowledge Parks had been signed, however it had been agreed that a summary overview of the Knowledge Parks would be circulated.

c

It was hoped that the Green Paper would be finalized by the end of 2002.

d

Commissioning of Genetic Services. The Department of Health has agreed to look at extending the role of the Recognised Specialist Agency and a consultation paper had gone out to Regional Commissioners and Chief Executives. Responses were required by the end of September.

e

Contract Currencies. GenCAG have established a small working group to take this forward.

f

Genetic Testing Networks. Naomi Brecker has requested a representative from Cytogenetics to be on this working group.

g

Rapid Prenatal Diagnosis. In response to a paper by Val Davison and Naomi Brecker, a recommendation was now going forward that rapid prenatal diagnosis should now be commissioned for (cytogenetic) high-risk samples.

8

 Scientific Committee

Barbara Gibbons informed Council that she would demit office. It was agreed that the way forward for the Scientific Committee should be an agenda item for the meeting 'Current and Future Issues for Clinical Cytogenetics in the NHS, a participatory workshop', on 10^th September.

9

Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath)

There had been no meeting since the last ACC Council meeting. John Crolla is the temporary chair of the SAC. If the College require a new nomination for an ACC representative they will request name in writing.

10

JLC Report

Richard Hall reported that following the recent JLC questionnaire there had been 33 replies from 12 labs. The main issues surrounded the MRCPath examination and were related to time available to study for the exam and the financing of it. Carol Baird circulated a document ‘Information on "Self Help Groups" preparing for Royal College Examinations’ which summarized the current position in a number of labs. This document was welcomed by Council and it was agreed that it should be circulated at the meeting on 10^th September and a summary be submitted for inclusion in the BSHG Newsletter.

ACTION  Lyndsey Connell to provide an article for newsletter

11

Treasurer's Report

John Wolstenholme reported that there were ongoing difficulties with using RIPH as the ACC registered address. The main issue was one of ensuring that ACC post was correctly dealt with. Currently, because of these postal problems the return to the Friendly Societies was late in being made. Following discussion it was agreed that John Wolstenholme would approach the Friendly Society to investigate the feasibility of transferring our registered premises.

ACTION  John Wolstenholme to investigate with the Friendly Society.

12

Correspondence

i

Letter of thanks from Pat Ward for response to National Screening Committee paper.

ii

Letter of information that Anthony Walsh had been seconded to enable ‘Making the Change’.

iii

Letter reminding the ACC that Health Care Scientists Week was 23^rd-29^th September.

iv

E-mail informing the ACC that Dr Sue Hill has been appointed as the new Chief Scientific Officer. After a re-organisation she will be responsible to the Chief Nursing Officer.

v

Notification that Dr Ian Barnes has been seconded to the DoH to work on the Pathology Modernisation Programme.

vi

Secretary had received correspondence from the RIPH informing the ACC that a firm of commercial caterers had taken over the running of meetings rooms at the RIPH. The result of this was to be a substantial increase in the daily fee for the room. (Currently £270 per day will rise to somewhere in the region of £500 per day.) Following discussion (see also item 11) it was agreed that the incoming Assistant Secretary should investigate a number of options for meetings in London in future and report back to Council.

ACTION  Rob Morgan to investigate and price alternative venues and report back to Council.

13

Matters arising from the Minutes of Meeting held on 11^th June and not already covered.

Mike Creasy reported that a meeting was arranged for the end of September with Mike Griffiths, Eddy Maher, Rob Morgan and Claire Scott to consider the future of the ACC website.

14

Applications for membership.

None

15

AOB

Rob Morgan informed Council that copies of the Careers Leaflet had run out. It was agreed that this was a very useful document and that Gavin Cuthbert should be asked to review and update it before arranging for a new print run.

ACTION Gavin Cuthbert to be asked to review content

The Chair then took the opportunity to thank the retiring members of Council, Teresa Davies, Barbara Gibbons and David Stevenson for their work over the last three years.

16

Date and Time of the Next Meeting

Tuesday 3^rd December, 2002 at 11.15 at the Royal College of Radiologists, 38 Portland Place (020 7636 4432).

Meeting closed at 14.55