IBMS members awarded for innovation

20 Jan 2012

The pathology team from NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Late last year three IBMS members received awards from the 2011 Annual Healthcare Science event organised by NES, Scottish Government and the Scottish Forum for Healthcare Science.

The event was held at the Royal Society of Edinburgh and had the theme 'Quality and Innovation'. Keynote speakers were Keith Hodkinson, chair of the Scottish Kidney Federation, and Keith Thompson, Director of SNBTS.

The event also offered workshops by Scottish Health Innovations, The Scottish Health Council and Scottish Government to test new resources and strategy. The Science Council, STEM and The Scottish Forum for Healthcare Science contributed to the exhibition material. As a reflection of the calibre of speakers and educational value, professional accreditation of this event was given by the Institute of Biomedical Science, The Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine and the Royal College of Pathologists.

A key feature of the annual event is celebrating the contribution that healthcare science staff make to service improvement. This is recognised through the Scottish Government's Chief Health Professions Officer (CHPO) Award. The 2011 winners were Debbi Hyslop and colleagues, of NHS Ayrshire and Arran for their initiative ‘Extended role of biomedical scientists in specimen dissection’. Debbi’s team demonstrated how role extension by this group has enhanced delivery and is a logical use of the skill set that these healthcare science staff possess. Two runners up were Anne MacDonald, Clinical Laboratory Manager, North of Scotland Blood Transfusion Service for 'Safe return of blood from hospital blood banks in Highland to use by the Inverness Transfusion Centre' and Elizabeth Kilgour, Laboratory Manager, NHS Lanarkshire for 'Screening Haematology Patients for Carbapenem Resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae'.

In focus:

Extended role of biomedical scientists in specimen dissection (Taken from Irvine Times)

Crosshouse Hospital's pathology department has received national recognition for its pioneering approach to improving quality and patient safety.

The team has picked up the Healthcare Science Award 2011 for developing the role of biomedical scientists in specimen dissection.

Dissection is the first step in making an accurate diagnosis for a patient. This important element of diagnosis used to be carried out solely by consultant pathologists. Now, however, with the development of their skills and greater use of their expertise, between 80 and 90 percent of all specimen dissection is carried out by biomedical scientists.

One of the results has been to give pathologists significantly more time to be involved in patient diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. At the same time support workers are taking on more of the biomedical scientists' duties, freeing them to focus on clinical decisions.

The department is now sharing its knowledge and learning with other pathology departments in Scotland. NHS Ayrshire & Arran's Senior Biomedical Scientist, and lead in specimen dissection Vanda McTaggart, is also able to influence examinations and guidelines nationally through her position on the Institute of Biomedical Science / Royal College of Pathologists conjoint board.

Chief Biomedical Scientist Debbi Hyslop commented:"This initiative has changed the working practices of all levels of staff in the department, creating excellent teamwork, improving working relationships and ultimately providing the best possible service for our patients."

Liz Moore, Director of Integrated Care and Emergency Services, commented: "The award is national acknowledgment that our pathology service is leading the way in Scotland by introducing an extended role for biomedical scientists. The result has been to improve the skill mix across the whole pathology team, increasing both quality and patient safety."

In focus: Healthcare scientists win a prize for innovation and quality (taken from Pulse magazine)

At the national meeting of healthcare science on November 25th 2011 Mrs Elizabeth Kilgour (Chief BMS) received an award from Jackie Lundy (Chief Health Professional Officer) for work carried out within microbiology department at Monklands Hospital. The work, in conjunction with Dr Donald Inverarity, the haematology Department and the Infection Control Team, was recognised as an excellent example of innovation, quality and team working through screening haematology patients for multiply antibiotic resistant organisms.

Mrs I Winning, Chair of Health Care Science Advisory Committee for NHS Lanarkshire, said "This is the second time health care scientists in Microbiology Lanarkshire have been awarded a healthcare science award from the Scottish Government, It shows that the commitment of different groups of staff working together to improve quality for the patient. It is an excellent example of whole system working, how healthcare science care and highlights the importance of people and relationships in making processes work for the benefit of patients".

The Health Care Science Advisory Committee meet monthly and represent diverse groups of staff within: biomedical science, clinical science, medical photographers, cardiology technology, medical physics, nuclear medicine, respiratory technology, renal technology, maxillofacial technology and clinical psychology.

The chair Irene Winning and vice chair of the committee Ross Milligan represent the group at the Area Clinical Forum and the group has the support of the Medical Director Alison Graham at board level. The committee is there to represent all healthcare scientists.

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