This site uses cookies to improve your experience of our site. If you continue we will assume you are happy with our use of cookies. Find out more here Close
This site uses cookies to improve your experience of our site. If you continue we will assume you are happy with our use of cookies. Find out more here Close
All biomedical scientists wishing to practise in the UK under the protected title of biomedical scientist must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is an independent, UK-wide regulatory body responsible for setting and maintaining standards of professional training, performance and conduct for the healthcare professions under its regulation. The standards for registration are known as the standards of proficiency. The IBMS endorses the HCPC's standards and the requirement for biomedical scientists and its members to integrate and maintain them as part of safe practice. If a health professional does not meet the standards they could be removed from the register and prevented from practising, and removed from IBMS membership.
The IBMS and HCPC are two separate organisations but work in close co-operation for the fundamental and primary aim of patient safety, to represent the interests of the profession and ensure that regulatory and professional standards work in harmony. Thus members of the public who need the services of biomedical scientists can be assured that they are receiving attention from professionals who are meeting minimum standards of practice and training.
Introduction to the four main ways of gaining registration with the HCPC, including the Certificate of Competence.
Further information on one of the ways of gaining registration via the IBMS's Certificate of Competence.
The IBMS registration portfolio provides evidence that an applicant has completed the practical training required for the Certificate of Competence, which is necessary to apply for HCPC registration.
Information on verifying IBMS-accredited degrees and assessment of non-accredited degrees.
The Institute awards training status to laboratories that comply with training standards set by the IBMS. If you are a training officer or laboratory manager seeking IBMS training approval please begin by reading the guidance in the link above.
The IBMS appoints an external verifier as its representative to verify that the evidence provided by a candidate as part of their training and fitness to practice assessment in the working environment (host laboratory) demonstrates competence against the 'Standards of Proficiency' set down by the HCPC. In addition, the verifier considers the suitability of a laboratory for pre-registration training. The only exception to this rule is for coterminus students, where the university will appoint a verifier.
If you are an IBMS external verifier or are seeking to become one please begin by reading the guidance in the link above.