SY Workforce Hub Quarterly Highlights Report (April - June 24)
Healthcare Scientists
In the HCS profession it has been a directive of the Chief Scientific Officer for England, Professor Dame Sue Hill, that all NHS Trusts should have a lead scientist. In South Yorkshire we have had one in place in Barnsley and Sheffield for a number of years. Last July Sheffield Children’s Hospital successfully recruited Camilla Scott to the role of Lead Health Care Scientist. Camilla will represent all HCS staff working at Sheffield Children’s at a local, regional and national level. There is currently a vacancy in Doncaster for a lead scientist and discussions are ongoing with Rotherham Hospital.
SCFT have been awarded funding for a Higher Specialist Scientist Trainee (HSST) in blood transfusion starting September 2024. This is an exciting role which will sit within SYBP with clinical input from SCFT and Michelle Scott, who is chief BMS for paediatric Haematology at SYBP will be one of the few candidates nationally to undertake this training.
A cardio-respiratory quality working group has been established to look at a system level approach to ensuring services are accredited to IQIPS standards. This is a compulsory requirement for physiological science services provided through CDC’s but will also ensure that quality and patient safety is at the heart of all diagnostic services provided.
On the 1st April 2024 South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Pathology was formed. Hosted by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, SYBP encompasses all pathology disciplines from a partnership of the five Acute Trusts. They provide over 650 routine and specialist laboratory tests and employ over 1000 staff.
South Yorkshire was recently successful in acquiring funding from the Echocardiography revenue funding stream. The pilot will test the concept of providing systemwide regional training in a community hub away from the acute setting to ascertain if this offers an improved experience for the learner, the training officer, the patient, and the departments involved.
A NEY Community of Practice has been formed to share knowledge and experience of T levels in order to progress this area within HCS. Jemma Lenton is the SY representative on this group.
At the end of March 5 level 2 HCS apprentices commenced on a pilot rotational training scheme in which they undertake 6 placements across the 3 main divisions of HCS. The apprentices started in Barnsley Hospital, The Rotherham Hospital and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. Early indications are that the apprentices and the placement departments consider this to be an exciting and valuable new model that not only gives the learners the opportunity to experience a broad range of what HCS has to offer but it has also encouraged new HCS departments to venture into the apprentice arena.