Events during September 2023

This talk is designed to be a “get ready” session where we introduce the ePortfolio system and present a high-level overview of the extensive features that Onefile offers, whilst simultaneously streamlining administration and reducing repetition. This will form an essential training and familiarisation opportunity for both trainers and trainees.

Digital tools are revolutionising the way researchers, clinicians, and educators manage and showcase their qualifications and career milestones. The IBMS are excited to be part of that revolution by launching version 5 of our Registration Training Portfolio on Onefile, a leading ePortfolio platform. The transition to a digital-only solution hosted by Onefile will redefine how students, apprentices and laboratory-based staff complete this integral part of their journey to HCPC registration as biomedical scientists.

Onefile offers a multifaceted approach to collating, managing and auditing a portfolio of evidence; simultaneously providing a robust and efficient process for training officers and managers to support and supervise the journey of their trainees from enrolment, portfolio completion and finally to successful verification.

Rather than providing a demonstration of Onefile per se, this talk will allow delegates to see how the platform can be easily embedded into their existing training structure. We will suggest a delivery workflow so users can maximise the features and benefits of Onefile and we will outline a roadmap of user training, plus other support to facilitate the transition to Onefile in their laboratories and / or universities over the coming months.

This talk will be informative for anyone who is involved in or responsible for pre-registration laboratory training, in particular portfolio candidates, training officers, laboratory managers and university placement tutors.

Additional talks focusing on specific elements of Onefile are scheduled for the free seminar programme on Thursday. These talks will specifically consider Onefile from the perspective of trainees and trainers (11.00am, Hall: 4), and training officers/laboratory managers/portfolio verifiers (2.30pm, Hall: 4).

Join your network workforce leads/practice educators for a solution focused discussion around workforce challenges. Find out about current education and development opportunities with specific emphasis on support workers, advanced clinical practice and leadership. We welcome your participation in helping to shape the future of your pathology workforce.

You are invited by the speakers to complete this online form before the presentation

What is ISO 22367 and how can it help the laboratory comply with the risk requirements of ISO15189

How to train your dragon . . . not to harm your workforce

The new molecular pathology Specialist Portfolio

The Higher Specialist Diploma (HSD) is the main route for gaining Fellowship (FIBMS) status. In this session I will provide a brief overview of the IBMS Higher Specialist Diploma (HSD) qualification explaining the disciplines that the HSD can be undertaken in, who the qualification is aimed at and how the qualification is assessed.

I will then provide advice and guidance on the completion of the portfolio element of the qualification and explain what a good portfolio looks like. I will also briefly explain how to prepare for the exam element of the qualification. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about the HSD.

vWF Guideline Update

Thrombophilia is defined as hereditary and/or acquired conditions associated with an increased predisposition to thrombosis. The previous British Society for Haematology guideline on thrombophilia testing (2012) focused only heritable thrombophilia testing. The updated guideline published in 2022 (1) has a widened scope to include both heritable and acquired thrombophilia especially antiphospholipid antibodies, paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria, myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) and the presence of a JAK2 mutation in the absence of an MPN phenotype. Disorders such as cancer, inflammatory conditions and obesity are associated with thrombosis through multiple mechanisms, but these are not included in the guideline which focuses only the factors identified from laboratory testing.

The key principle in the guideline is that when clinical utility of testing is not clear, thrombophilia testing is not mandatory, and testing should be done only if the result will alter the management of the patient. These guidelines emphasise the importance of identifying antiphospholipid syndrome and JAK2 +/- MPN phenotype because they have a significant impact on management. The guidelines confirm the limited utility of testing for hereditary thrombophilia testing in venous thromboembolism, arterial thrombosis and recurrent pregnancy loss.

1. Arachchillage, DJ, Mackillop, L, Chandratheva, A, Motawani, J, MacCallum, P, Laffan, M. Thrombophilia testing: A British Society for Haematology guideline. Br J Haematol. 2022; 198: 443– 458. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.18239

The effects of long COVID on coagulopathy

Effects of direct thrombin inhibitors [dabigatran/argatroban/bivalirudin] on tests of haemostasis