Events during September 2023

Heroin markers

Increasing antimicrobial resistance observed globally in key Gram-negative bacteria and failure of the antimicrobial development pipeline to keep up has left clinicians with few remaining treatment options. This presentation will: i) highlight the current gaps in our antimicrobial armamentarium (with a focus on the World Health Organisation critical priority pathogens); ii) give an overview of new antimicrobials that have reached phase 3 clinical trials and other therapeutic approaches currently in the pipeline; and iii) share experience from the reference laboratory.

The advanced specialist diploma in dermatopathology reporting is fully supported by Health Education England and is a pioneering role which is helping to reduce the demand-capacity problems that currently exist within histopathology and specifically dermatopathology.

I am currently working as a consultant healthcare scientist as part of the histopathology reporting team at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, specialising in dermatopathology

I was in the first cohort for Dermatopathology reporting and the first to be awarded the qualification. The qualification was developed jointly by the RCPath and the IBMS and has been designed to mirror that of the histopathology medical trainees with four stages A-D. There are two exams- one at the end of stage A and one at the end of stage C. Further, a portfolio of evidence is assessed at each stage in order to progress. To be eligible to apply for the qualification applicants must be a Member or Fellow of the IBMS, a HCPC registered biomedical or clinical scientist, with at least five years’ experience post-registration experience .

I began studying towards the advanced specialist diploma in dermatopathology reporting in November 2017 and successfully completed the qualification in February 2023.

My experience of training towards this qualification has been very positive and rewarding. It has been a difficult journey at times as the qualification is new, but now that it is established, many of the initial issues have been resolved. My role as a Consultant Healthcare Scientist reporter is now firmly established within the department and within the skin team at the hospital. I have excellent working relationships with my colleagues and feel supported and respected.

High Sensitivity Troponin in the Community

Digital Morphology for CPD. What can we learn about morphology reporting from the past 15 years?

ISO 15189:2022 Q&A (Thursday)

The analysis of free light chains in clinical laboratories to support the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of Myeloma has evolved over 6 decades. From urine analysis for Bence Jones Protein using gel electrophoresis in the 1950s to the launch of the first commercial assay for serum free light chain measurement in 2001.

This talk will describe the biochemistry of free light chains and the benefits and challenges of the different methodologies available in laboratories today. I will also describe the complexity of clinical interpretation of results, highlighting relevant national guidance, recently developed diagnostic tools for clinicians and testing advice for laboratories.

This presentation will explain the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) return to practice process and the support offered by NHS England’s National Return to Practice programme to return skilled professionals back into the NHS workforce.

This presentation will cover the below content:

HCPC requirements to return to the register
Routes to returning to the HCPC register
NHS England’s Return to Practice programme support to returners and organisations and systems
Returner registration on the NHS England Return to Practice programme
Considerations for organisations wanting to support a returner to practice.

Emerging Issues in Medical Mycology

This presentation will provide a detailed review of the updated HCPC Standards of Proficiency (SoPs) for biomedical scientists. The standards were updated in 2022 and have been implemented from 1st September 2023.

The updated SoPs for biomedical scientists align to the contents of the IBMS Registration Training Portfolio which must be successfully completed to register as a biomedical scientist. The updated Registration Training Portfolio (Version 5.0) has been mapped to the updated HCPC SoPs and will be issued to all applicants after 1st September 2023.

Both colleagues undertaking training to become registered biomedical scientists and those who are already registrants with the HCPC will be required to meet the new HCPC SoPs.

The language in the updated SoPs is much more focussed on demonstrating the standards rather than having knowledge of them, which will require a shift in how we evidence that the standards are met in practice.

This session will discuss the Version 5.0 portfolio structure, examples of evidence types that can be used to demonstrate the updated standards and will also introduce the mandatory pieces of evidence that are now part of each module of the Version 5.0 IBMS Registration Training Portfolio. The rationale for the changes to the portfolio and the support available from the Institute during this transition period will also be explained.

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

Several sessions will be presented by the IBMS Head of Digital Education (Jim Taylor) throughout Congress, explaining how the Version 5.0 digital portfolio on Onefile will provide and enhanced training experience over traditional paper-based portfolios.