ACGS Workforce Subcommittee
Chair: David Baty
Terms of Reference /

Date: 16th December 2016

Remit of the group

The Workforce Development Subcommittee (hereafter referred to as the Committee)will provide professional direction on behalf of the Association for Clinical Genomic Science (ACGS )to support the training and educational development of healthcare science staff working in NHS Genetic Laboratories from the UK and to make recommendations about future workforce requirements. Specifically:

  • Provide guidance, support and advice on training and workforce development in Laboratory Genetics
  • Ensure synergy between organisational and educational agendas, both at local and national level.
  • Ensure that service and workforce considerations are central to the development of Healthcare Science training.
  • Collect and collate workforce data from the NHS Genetic Laboratories and offer advice on staffing configuration for effective service delivery and development, for example to Health Education England and the Centre for Workforce Intelligence.
  • Collate information regarding roles and responsibilities across the various career stages in order to develop and deliver fit for purpose training and support continuous professional development.
  • Work collaboratively with key stakeholders involved in Healthcare Science training and development, including the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS), the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS), the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath), Association of Clinical Scientists (ACS) and the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS).
  • Support and promote appropriate registration for all staff groups within Laboratory Genetics.
  • Work collaboratively with other Life Science disciplines to promote careers in Healthcare Science.
  • Promote effective communication between the Committee and the ACGS membership.

Membership:

  • Membership of the Committee will reflect all staff groups working in Laboratory Genetics.
  • Committee members must have a commitment to education, training and workforce development.
  • Representation on the Committee should include AHCS, NSHCS, RCPath, ACS and IBMS.
  • A Chair will be elected from the membership of the ACGS and serve a minimum term of three years.
  • The Committee will appoint a Secretary from within the group.
  • Individuals will be co-opted onto the Committee following a call for expressions of interest or as required to participate in specific areas of work.
  • Once fully established, members will be expected to serve a term of 3 years but may be eligible for a second term. Membership duration may be staggered to ensure a sufficient level of knowledge and experience is maintained within the Committee.

Accountability:

  • The Chair of the Committee shall represent the views of the membership and report to the Executive Committee of the ACGS.
  • The Chair will serve as a member of the Executive Committee. If the Chair cannot attend an Executive Committee meeting, a nominated representative shall be chosen from within the Committee.
  • Individual members of the Committee will report back on any related activity or work they have undertaken on behalf of the Committee.

Review:

  • The Committee will review its terms of reference and agreed work plans on an annual basis and notify the ACGS Executive Committee and ACGS of any changes.
  • An annual report detailing progress against agreed work plans will be submitted to the ACGS Chair for the Annual General Meeting.

Working Practices of the Committee

  • The Committee will hold a full meeting every 4 months. Meetings will be called by the Chair and supported by the nominated Secretary.
  • Ad hoc meetings can be arranged as required to progress specific areas of work. Where possible, teleconference and e-mail will be utilised as alternatives to face to face meetings.
  • The Committee will be asked to undertake specific pieces of work by the ACGS Executive Committee. The Chair will be responsible for communicating these requests to the Committee and convening small working groups if required.
  • The agenda for Committee meetings will be finalised by the Chair and include items raised by the ACGS membership. Agendas and finalised minutes of Committee meetings will be available on the ACGS website.
  • All documentation relating to the activities of the Committee shall be treated as confidential by the members

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