Joint Statement on HSST Eligibility

Significant scientific workforce shortages at senior levels have been identified in several Life Science specialties, which have been further highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Higher Specialist Scientific Training (HSST) Programme trains Healthcare Scientists to consultant level, however HSST is currently not open to all individual scientists with the potential to develop and take on the role of a consultant scientist.

The National School of Healthcare Science in Health Education England, Academy for Healthcare Science, Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) and Manchester Academy of Healthcare Scientist Education are pleased to announce a widening of the of the eligibility criteria for HSST. The new criteria will allow appropriately qualified senior Biomedical Scientists, who can demonstrate ability to work at Level 7 via academic and professional qualifications, to apply to join the programme. Both Biomedical Scientists and Clinical Scientists will be subject to the same HSST interview process to determine suitability and readiness. The qualifications to confer eligibility will include:

  1. HCPC Registration as a Biomedical Scientist, IBMS Specialist Diploma and relevant MSc
  2. HCPC Registration as a Biomedical Scientist, IBMS Specialist Diploma and IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma or IBMS 2-part Fellowship Special Exam
  3. HCPC Registration as a Biomedical Scientist, IBMS Specialist Diploma and IBMS Diploma of Expert Practice

Eligible individuals will also need to meet the requirements of the Universities to commence a doctoral level programme, including a First or 2:1 Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in a relevant subject area or evidence of having written at that standard, and a minimum of four years working in a professional role. In addition, training departments will need to achieve HSST training accreditation through the NSHCS to be successful in the commissioning rounds. This includes demonstration of suitable workplace and research supervision at doctoral level, access to training to meet the specialism curriculum and HSS Standards of Proficiency, and senior level trust support.

All Life Science HSSTs must obtain Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists during the programme in order to complete HSST, in addition to the academic qualification and evidence of their workplace training. These requirements of the programme are identical for Clinical Scientists and Biomedical Scientists on HSST.

This revised admission criteria to HSST is endorsed by NHS Education for Scotland  – Healthcare Science. We look forward to working with all agencies concerned with the development of the next generation of consultant-level healthcare scientists.

All scientists who successfully complete the HSST programme or equivalence are eligible to join the Academy for Healthcare Science HSS Register and become a Fellow.

This change to the HSST eligibility criteria will apply from 2021 entry to the HSST programme.

Covid-19: MAHSE Update Regarding Covid-19 Contingency Plans

MAHSE fully recognises the unprecedented disruption caused by Covid-19 to both the HSST and STP programmes. We wish to assure all trainees and their supervisors that we are working tirelessly with the respective HEIs and the NSHCS on contingency plans for the upcoming academic year, to ensure that all academic study, for students on all years of the programmes, will be delivered fully and at a sufficiently high quality. As soon as such plans are finalised they will be communicated out to all relevant parties. In the meantime, we appreciate your patience and understanding at this challenging time.

Key information regarding the impact of Covid-19 on both training programmes can be found on the NSHCS website via the following links:

HSST: https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-information/#HSST
STP: https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-information/#stp

We hope you are all safe and well. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact admin@mahse.co.uk

MAHSE Team

Cancellation: MAHSE STP Research Day – 11 June 2020

With the current Coronavirus outbreak the safety and health of our trainees, supervisors and staff are our paramount concerns.

You will all be aware that the government projects that the next 12 weeks are crucial in dealing with Coronavirus. We need to anticipate more changes still to come and to consider some of our operations within these unprecedented times. We are working at University and National School levels on guidance to ensure the best course of action is taken.

Accordingly, we will be postponing the STP Research Day. The registration links are now closed. We appreciate that this would be disappointing for those of you who were planning to present at your first conference. We will be revisiting the STP Research Day once we are all back to normal and will communicate further at that time.

We hope you are all safe and well. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact admin@mahse.co.uk

MAHSE Team

 

Covid-19: Information for Manchester Metropolitan University HSST Trainees

A message to all Manchester Metropolitan University HSST trainees regarding impact of Covid-19 to your programme.

Dear Trainees,

Given the rapidly developing situation with COVID-19, we understand that many of you may be required to cover additional clinical work. In the coming weeks, we will be considering the many issues that will arise from the need to provide this additional service, and the impact this has had on DClinSci trainees. We recognise that this will affect your research, teaching and assessments but will mitigate for this as appropriate when the scale of the current situation becomes clearer.  All deadlines will be temporarily waived and will be addressed once the situation is resolved. Your pathway leads will communicate with you regarding these. We will aim to take a pragmatic view to ensure that trainees are not adversely affected, therefore we aren’t expecting trainees to have to take any further action to request extensions or changes to programme imminently.

Please be reassured that we will work with the NSHCS and mitigation will be applied as required. Your individual pathway lead will be in touch to confirm any cancelled teaching, or changes to assessment deadlines as required.

In order for us to work closely with you to ensure that all training is undertaken as required please keep us informed of advice you receive from your Trust.

Man Met staff have been informed that there will be no face to face teaching until further notice. We will be available on email to answer all queries and provide advice on your programme.

Below is a link to advice from NSHCS.

https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-information/hsst-trainee-information/

Best wishes

Professor Mark Slevin

 

MAHSE advise all trainees to continuously check the National School of Healthcare Scientists Coronavirus page to keep updated on key information as it becomes available along with specific guidance provided by your University; University of Manchester or Manchester Metropolitan University.

Websites:

University of Manchester Coronavirus Information: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/coronavirus

Manchester Metropolitan University Coronavirus Information: https://www2.mmu.ac.uk/student-life/news/story/?id=11757

All programme leads and administrators will be available on email to answer all queries and provide advice on your programme. For any further queries or concerns, please contact admin@mahse.co.uk

Covid-19: Information for University of Manchester HSST Trainees

A message to all University of Manchester HSST trainees regarding impact of Covid-19 to your programme.

Dear Trainees,

Further to communication sent to you on Friday, we are contacting you again, given the rapidly developing situation with COVID-19, as we understand that many of you may be required to cover additional clinical work. In the coming weeks, we will be considering the many issues that will arise from the need to provide this additional service, and the impact this has had on DClinSci trainees. We recognise that this will affect your research, teaching and assessments but will mitigate for this as appropriate when the scale of the current situation becomes clearer.  All deadlines will be temporarily waived and will be addressed once the situation is resolved. Your programme administrators will communicate with you regarding these.

Please be reassured that we will work with the NSHCS to ensure you are not disadvantaged and mitigating will be applied as required. Your individual pathway administrator will be in touch to confirm any cancelled teaching, or changes to assessment deadlines shortly.

In order for us to work closely with you to ensure that all training is undertaken as required please keep us informed of advice you receive from your Trust.

UoM staff have been informed that we should work from home from 9am on the 18 March until further notice. We will be available on email to answer all queries and provide advice on your programme.  For Physical Science trainees doing Section C research projects, you should be aware that the majority of academic supervision is done by colleagues at The Christie and this will impact on your work. Again, as above please be reassured that this will be mitigated against in due course.

Below is a link to advice from NSHCS.

https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-information/hsst-trainee-information/

Best Wishes,

Doctoral Academy

 

MAHSE advise all trainees to continuously check the National School of Healthcare Scientists Coronavirus page to keep updated on key information as it becomes available along with specific guidance provided by your University; University of Manchester or Manchester Metropolitan University.

Websites:

University of Manchester Coronavirus Information: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/coronavirus

Manchester Metropolitan University Coronavirus Information: https://www2.mmu.ac.uk/student-life/news/story/?id=11757

All programme leads and administrators will be available on email to answer all queries and provide advice on your programme. For any further queries or concerns, please contact admin@mahse.co.uk

Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on healthcare science training: STP and HSST

MAHSE advise all trainees to continuously check the National School of Healthcare Scientists Coronavirus page to keep updated on key information as it becomes available along with specific guidance provided by your University; University of Manchester or Manchester Metropolitan University.

Websites:

National School of Healthcare Scientists Coronavirus Information: https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-information 

University of Manchester Coronavirus Information: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/coronavirus

Manchester Metropolitan University Coronavirus Information: https://www2.mmu.ac.uk/student-life/news/story/?id=11757

For any further queries or concerns, please contact admin@mahse.co.uk

Cohorts 3 (Year 4) DClinSci Section C Workshop – 9th January 2020

On the 9th January 2020, we welcomed over 40 trainees, academic and workplace supervisors from Cohort 3 of HSST to a day of workshops and sessions held in Manchester.

The event (agenda can be found here) began with a talk on information for trainees on how to write their research project and Viva hints and tips – delivered by Prof Julia Handley. Dr Angela Davies gave a talk to the trainees on ‘Writing a research paper’ whilst Prof. Anne White (MAHSE Deputy Director for HSST and UoM HSST Academic Director).  provided academic supervisors and workplace supervisors with information on ‘The role of the supervisors in the thesis examination process’.

After lunch, round-table discussions with programme directors provide the space for trainees to discuss their research project.

Recordings and presentations from the day are provided below. Please note that the content of the below presentations and recordings is subject to change, any updates will be posted on the MAHSE website.

For all trainees:

Due to technical difficulties no recording was provided for Prof Julia Handley’s session. The recording for the remaining talks can be found here.

  • Writing your thesis and Viva hints and tips presentation – Prof Julia Handley
  • Writing a research paper presentation – Dr Angela Davies
  • The role of the supervisors in the thesis examination process presentation – Prof Anne White

If you have any queries, please email admin@mahse.co.uk

 

Section C Project Proposal Masterclass for HSST Cohort 5 – 28 January 2020

On Thursday 28th January 2020, HSST trainees from Cohorts 4 and 5 attended a project proposal masterclass in Manchester.  The event (agenda can be found here) began with lunch and networking for trainees to meet with their university programme teams. All trainees then attended a talk on how to plan their research project which was delivered by Prof. Anne White (MAHSE Deputy Director for HSST and UoM HSST Academic Director). Dr. Rebecca Dearman (UoM Life Sciences Programme Director) provided trainees with information on ‘Ethics Application’ followed by Prof Andy Brass providing information on ‘Who owns Intellectual Property.’

Recordings and presentations from the day are provided below. Please note that the content of the below presentations and recordings is subject to change, any updates will be posted on the MAHSE website.

For all trainees:

Recording of all morning talks

  • Planning a Research Project presentation – Prof Anne White
  • Ethics Application presentation – Dr Rebecca Dearman
  • Who owns the Intellectual Property presentation – Prof Andy Brass

If you have any queries, please email admin@mahse.co.uk