EBME Forums Forums Management Professional Issues HPC Agrees to Regulate Clinical Technologists

Let me reply to the points raised recently:

1. Question:
"Surely it cannot be guaranteed that everyone on a voluntary register will be transferred. There must be some check that the entry requirements are sufficient, otherwise we could set up a voluntary register which was open to anyone who could demonstrate an ability in knitting, cross-stitching or paper folding"

Answer:
Over the last two years the Voluntary Register of Clinical Technologists has gone through a rigorous process overseen by the Health Professions Council and Department of Health. This has involved preparing and submitting a detailed application (running to over 150 pages of information). This was followed by a detailed examination of our application through numerous meetings and a presentation to the entire HPC. As part of the process we had to convince both organisations that we had in place certain criteria, these included:

* A defined body of knowledge
* Establishing that the practise of the profession is based on evidence of efficacy
* The establishment of a Voluntary Register
* The establishment of a body to oversee the Voluntary Register
* Defined routes of entry into the profession
* Independently assessed entry qualifications
* Standards relating to conduct, performance and ethics
* Disciplinary procedures to enforce standards
* A commitment from all in the profession to be committed to, and undertake, continuous professional development

Having established these criteria it stands to reason that all on the voluntary register will transfer to the statutory register.

2.Question:
"There is still the problem of how to deal with the existing, long serving technicians who have absolutely no formal qualifications at all - not even "O" levels - so cannot apply for the voluntary register."

Answer:
This statement is entirely wrong and mischievous! It would have helped if the author of the statement had read the VRCT application criteria. The plain facts are: unless you were first employed as a Clinical Technologist after 1st August 2001, there is no requirement to hold formal qualifications. Thus long serving Technologists with no qualifications have access to the Register.

3. Question:
What about the private sector and manufacturers' design, sales and service staff?

Answer:
It is my understanding that all service staff working as Clinical Technologists will require to be regulated regardless of who employs them. There are already significant numbers of private sector workers on the register.

Finally, can I just say that the debate regarding regulation has been raging for many years but as far as Clinical Technologists are concerned is now over? The Government wants all healthcare staff to be regulated regardless of what they do (from ancillary staff to medics. Regulation will be a fact in the near future. Thus for all who are wary of what is happening - please accept that change is inevitable, embrace the process and start contributing to the development of the profession!

Hello to everybody, I would like to chip in to the debate with my first posting.

I work in an EBME dept with 9 technicians, of which 8 people qualify to join the VRCT. So far I am the only person to register, although the others have now been frightened into joining, and are frantically downloading application forms. Whilst the general feeling is that in principle registration will be a good thing, the degree standard required for new technicians does seem excessive. Do MTO2 bods who only safety test equipment really need a degree????

Our 9th person has been with us for only 12 months, has adequate C&G certificates, and is on the first year of a HNC part time Electronics Engineering course. In 2 years time, with 3 years experience and a HNC under his belt, he will meet the criteria to join the VRCT. The only problem is that it will probably have closed, so he will then have to reach degree standard. How many more people are in this situation?

We have also recently advertised for an MTO3 technician. Unfortunately we haven’t specified a degree as the required qualification. But even if we had, the new guy would still have to attain a degree in clinical engineering within the next few years. Bit of a no win situation. Good luck to all the new guys.

Jeff

My posting certainly wasn't mischievous ! The information sheet I have in front of me clearly states ;-

"The criteria for entry onto the voluntary Register for those appointed on or after 1 August 2001 will be as follows :
1. There must be evidence of a pass at BTEC Higher National Certificate or Higher National Diploma or Degree or an equivalent qualification in a subject deemed appropriate to the candidate's specialist area of work.
2. There must be evidence of not less than 3 years work experience . . . .
3. There must be evidence of current employment . . . . "

I admit that this guidance is a couple of years old, but I haven't seen an update anywhere and it was apparently issued by IPEM (Fairmount House, Tadcaster Road, York ?).

So for people with no qualifications, who haven't registered yet and hence are after the August 2001 deadline, there is no route onto the voluntary register.

Thanks Jim for clarifying that registration will apply equally to the private sector. I'm encouraged to hear this as it could also impact on the viability of the univestity courses which will need to be developed. But going back to my other point re who will need to be registered to do what? Has anything been published or is there any draft guidance on this? There are some staff working as low grade technicians for whome registration would be not be achievable and who will not be eligible for registration. Surely there must be some way they can continue without registration but perhaps under supervision. I realise it's early days for any clear definitions linked to grades but this group of staff are very worried. I guess it comes down to the definition of a Clinical Technologist.
Graham

Roy said:- “So for people with no qualifications, who haven't registered yet and hence are after the August 2001 deadline, there is no route onto the voluntary register”

Another incorrect statement! To satisfy the argument Roy only provided an extract of the VRCT entry criteria in his post. Yes, there are different criteria to be applied to those appointed on or after the 1 August 2001 (which I mentioned in my post). However, all appointed to a Clinical Technologist post before that date do not need to provide evidence of qualification! Thus those long serving technicians with no qualifications, of whom Roy was concerned (I will assume that long serving means more than three years), are eligible to join the register.

To help those who may be now totally confused, the full criteria for eligibility to join the Register are reprinted below. May I urge all who wish to joint to read the information carefully? Application forms are available from the IPEM, ART or IIE websites.

“The primary criterion for entry onto the Voluntary Register is as follows:

Successful completion of the Training Scheme for Clinical Technologists specialising in Physics and Engineering in Health Care organised by the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.

Grandparenting Provision
Alternatively, candidates may apply through the Grandparenting provision. The criteria for entry onto the Voluntary Register through Grandparenting provision are as follows:-

1. There must be evidence of employment in a technical role involving work in health care areas such as medical physics, clinical engineering, medical equipment maintenance or medical equipment manufacturing, or, biological science, physical science or engineering related to health care within an academic institution, and,

2. There must be evidence of not less than three years work experience in a technical role (as in 1 above) including at least two years appropriate, formal in-service training provided by a suitable organisation, or, in lieu of the formal in-service training, evidence of not less than four years relevant work experience, or, registration as an Incorporated Engineer or Engineering Technician.

All individuals who meet the conditions of the Grandparenting provision and who were in post on 31 July 2000 qualify for entry onto the Voluntary Register. All who were in post on 31 July 2000 and who did not meet the conditions of the second point of the Grandparenting provision will be eligible for inclusion on the Voluntary Register once all of the conditions of the second point have been met. All who were employed between 1 August 2000 and 31 July 2001 will be deemed eligible to join the Voluntary Register once they have met the conditions of the second point of the Grandparenting provision. The criteria for provision for entry onto the Voluntary Register for those appointed on or after 1 August 2001 are as follows:

1. There must be evidence of a pass at BTEC Higher National Certificate or Higher National Diploma or Degree or NVQ/SVQ Level 3 in an appropriate subject, or, an equivalent qualification in an appropriate subject.

2. There must be evidence of not less than three years work experience in a technical role including at least two years appropriate, formal in-service training provided by a suitable organisation, or, in lieu of the formal in-service training, evidence of not less than four years relevant work experience, or, registration as an Incorporated Engineer or Engineering Technician.

3. There must be evidence of employment in health care, working unsupervised, within medical physics, clinical engineering, medical equipment maintenance or medical equipment manufacturing, or, biological science, physical science or engineering related to health care within an academic institution.”

Hi Jim,
What about technicians who were appointed after August 2001 and who have ONC, but not HNC?

Anyone appointed on or after 1 August 2001 needs to complete the IPEM Clinical Technologist Training Scheme, or, hold an HNC or equivalent qualification and to have completed a programme of structured in-service training. An ONC is insufficient! This information has been in the public domain for over four years.

I anticipate that more detailed guidance will be published early next year to guide all who may not meet the current criteria.

Jim - the argument seems to be one of interpretation of the word "appoint".

I read it as refering to technicians being appointed onto the register by August 2001 - because later in the same paragraph one of the necessary criteria is for the person to be in employment - which they obviously would be if they had been appointed to a job in Clinical Technology !

Your interpretation is that they have been appointed to a job on or after 1st August 2001.

As Topper has pointed out, this interpretation leaves new starters who haven't got a degree and don't have access to formal, 2 year training courses, in a very sticky position, because the clock is now ticking and it's unlikely they can get their 4 years experience in before the State Register comes into force.

I'm not trying to make mischief or score points - just trying to understand how the system is going to be applied and how we are going to deal with the excellent technicians who don't appear to be able to meet the criteria without having to go back to school and do a degree.

Roy

As I said in my previous post, we are very concerned that we do all that we can for those who will not meet the criteria before the Register closes. However, there will be a tranisitional period lasting until 2008/2009. Only after that time will a Clinical Technology degree become mandatory.

The details are being sorted out between the VRCT and the Department of Health. A further meeting is scheduled for early January, hopefully to resolve some of these matters. As soon as information is available it will be published widely.

I am eligible to join the VRCT, but why should I join the "voluntary" register and not just wait to join the "compulsory" one?

The reasons I hear/read to join the VRCT are as follows:
1. Join if you're eligible & you'll move onto the compulsory register, it will be more hassle if you don't! - Why? If I'm eligible now and these are the criteria the HPC will use, I'll be eligible to join the compulsory register. (£10.00 VRCT fee saved!)

2. It will involve more work to join later on. - My wife's profession became registered recently, she had to complete just one form (sent to her by the regulating body - she did not have to complete a CV, send a J.D and get her completed form signed by two seperate individuals). Also her employers pay!!!

3. The cost will rocket! - Can you assure me that, should I pay the VRCT £10.00, the regulating body won't come and ask me for the difference when they agree a fee?

I look forward to some positive replies.