BSAC Committee position open for biomedical scientists

The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC) has been providing support to Microbiology laboratories since its establishment in August 1971. In 1985, the first “Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Working Party” was formed to create a panel of experts to support the UK through the development of a national susceptibility method.

The Antimicrobial Standing Committee is made up of Medical Microbiologists, Clinical Scientists, Veterinary Scientists and Biomedical Scientists from the NHS, Research, Academia and Public Health Organisations.

Since the release of the first BSAC guidelines in 2001, the committee have supported 175 UK Microbiology laboratories using the BSAC disc diffusion method by providing annual guidelines, educational workshops and practical user support. The BSAC standing committee also contributes to development of national standard methods through engagement and partnership working.

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is one of the most important functions of a diagnostic Microbiology laboratory; most UK laboratories currently use BSAC or EUCAST (European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing) guidelines to interpret susceptibility results. Generating a timely and accurate result has great clinical significance not just for the individual patient but for the wider population as the susceptibility data can also be used to monitor antimicrobial resistance, influence prescribing guidance and encourage new drug development.

BSAC actively supported the development of EUCAST through a European-wide harmonisation of antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods and standards. The EUCAST method is correlated to the international standard method for testing antimicrobial susceptibility (ISO 20776-1:2006) making it the method of choice for drug developers seeking to validate breakpoints for new antimicrobial agents.

The global spread of antimicrobial resistance requires international surveillance and partnership working; adopting EUCAST methodologies allows greater standardisation and comparability of data generated in the UK with data generated across Europe and encourages pharmaceutical drug development.

The Antimicrobial Standing Committee is inviting applications from interested Biomedical Scientists to join the committee for 12 months to experience an appointment to a national and influential panel during a time of unprecedented change and development. The appointee will participate in all committee meetings for one year, contribute to the discussion and decisions of the group and have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. 

The committee aims to:

• Develop methods of testing in response to changes in susceptibility, new antimicrobial agents and new resistance mechanisms.
• Collaborate with others at an international level in harmonising European MIC breakpoints and approaches to antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
• Provide information needed by EUCAST for the development of MIC breakpoints at epidemiological, pharmacodynamic and clinical levels.
• Publish annual updates of the BSAC susceptibility testing recommendations.
• Provide educational support by organising User Group meetings two residential workshops each year.
• Support microbiologists by providing timely responses to questions related to antimicrobial susceptibility testing and the management of patients (via email, telephone etc.)
• Undertakes research and development projects related to the development of antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods as appropriate

Selection Criteria:

• Be a member of the BSAC
• Aged less than 40yrs
• Previously completed either clinical or BioMedical Scientist training
• An interest in antimicrobials / antimicrobial susceptibility testing
• Time commitment for meetings of 1 day four times a year, plus 10-20 hours for supporting work.

Please send your expression of interest via a cover letter and a short Curriculum Vitae to Dr Mandy Wootton: mandy.wootton@wales.nhs.uk by Friday 28 April 2017.

      The successful candidate will be selected by a ballot of the Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing Standing Committee members.