It's that time of year again when Santa IPEM delivers his Christmas letters to us (mugs)asking for our continued allegiance to the cause (registration)
After what seems an eternity (probably about 8 years) the VRCT is beginning to try my patience.

Do I need to be sending another £10?
Will the V ever become C (compulsory)?
Are Dave/Nick as keen as Tony/Gordo?

I feel I am more likely to see England host a World Cup Finals before this thing gets full approval.

Please tell me I'm wrong, I've only got another 16 years till I retire and I can't take the suspense any longer

Patience, Grasshoppa!

I wonder what they do with all those £ 10's?

But I doubt that any of the Whitehall Warriors have much of a clue about all this. And quite right too. After all, they certainly have more important matters to concern themselves with.

Meanwhile, perhaps a few of us should band together and form our own little gang ... but only charge a fiver a year.

I reckon I could could probably come up with a better name ... but does anyone else have any ideas?

Why didn't you come up with this idea 8 years ago Geoff

By my financial reckoning I would be £40 better off (bah)

You would, of course, have to be a Physicist and have to sneer and look down your nose at us meer Biomeds

That counts me out, then.

I'm just a Grunt Technician (but proud of it)!

Yes, it's time they want your £10 again, but is it worth it?

Not sure on that one but bare in mind.

Some trusts have moved it from a desirable attribute to essential, so if your going to apply for a job at another trust you may want to consider this.
There's been the usual sabre waving ohh the VRCT is going to be made compulsory and it's been suggested that the grandfather route might be closed.

What we really need is a progress report, what's actually gone on in the last twelve months and what chance it will no longer be voluntary?

I'm sure Geoff could sneer and look down his nose if he wanted to.......... especially if the money was right!

Lee

Good point Chris, I know, from experience, that this is starting to be the case.

I find it quite laughable tho that something Voluntary should be Essential.

Another slant on this is something I heard first hand, a friend and long-standing IPEM/VRCT member decided he had had enough and informed them he would not be renewing either scheme.

He was informed by them "We are going to inform your employer you have pulled out/resigned"

Dangerous precedent being set here. I have always taken exception to bullying and intimidation

Voluntary means VOLUNTARILY

You're obviously confusing me with someone else, Lee. There's no sneering here, Mate. I like to think that I'm more of an "upfront and personal" kind of guy!

Not particularly motivated by wonga either. Just ask Neil.

@Dave: threats, bullying, intimidation? Just "name and shame" 'em right here, Mate.

Yes, Dave when someone drops out of the VRCT the employer gets notified, they'll also get a list every year of who in their department is still on the voluntary register.

You can also search the register to see for yourself who's on there. Quite a few from our trust either didn't bother or dropped out. There was a few suggestions that they should rejoin as soon as possible, but like usual it went quite again and I haven't heard a thing since.

As Chris says, that's what i'm hearing too.

In my book that's bullying and intimidation.

If (as Geoff asks) "name and shame 'em" then that starts at IPEM Hq if they contact your employer.

As I have stated, this is VOLUNTARY, I pay, I apply ... not my employer.

If I decide to leave that is my choice, same as if I leave the Girl Guides, Samaritans, Monster Raving Looney Party or any such voluntary organisation I decide to become a member of.

Is it illegal for me to practice to be a Biomed and not be on the VRCT.

What the VRCT/IPEM stormtroopers should be more concerned at is if the organisations employing the people on the register are seriously following their own code of practice of "..ensuring suitable CPD takes place ..."

In times of hardship, cutbacks and financial constraints this is usually the first area to be "pruned"

How active are IPEM lobbying your employer on your behalf to ensure that your continued career development is progressed.

In the 8 years I've been paying up I can think of no instance in the NHS and Private Sector departments I've worked in.

Maybe that's why you can say "You don't get much for a tenner these days"