Modernising Scientific Careers

The Unite response to the recent consultation, together with a report from the recent project board are on Unite's web site.

HPC audit of CPD

We understand that the HPC will be auditing Clinical Scientist registrants' CPD portfolios from July 2009 which needs to contain two years of CPD examples. The HPC website contains advice and examples of CPD profiles.

Annual Conference 2009

This will be held in London, on 20 November 2009.

Please note change of date and location

Topics will include Modernising Scientific Careers

Put it in your diary now!

There will be some travel/attendance bursaries available for junior and technologist members - details later (if you're a junior technologist member you won't get two, so don't ask).

HPA Travel Award

The 2009/10 awards are now open! Closing date 1 September - details here.

Modernising Scientific Careers Newsletter

The Modernising Scientific Careers programme produces a newsletter (details of how to sign up for it are in the letter itself). The most recent copy (March 2008) is here.

e-mail list

To subscribe, just send a blank e-mail to hospitalphysics-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

What is the HPA?
People
- National Professional Committee includes list of past presidents
  - Confirmed minutes of meeting (26/01/06)
  - Confirmed minutes of meeting (06/04/06)
  - Confirmed minutes of meeting (13/07/06)
  - Confirmed minutes of meeting (19/10/06)
  - Confirmed minutes of meeting (30/01/07)
  - Confirmed minutes of meeting (24/04/07)
  - Confirmed minutes of meeting (17/07/07)
  - Draft minutes of meeting (01/11/07)
  - Draft minutes of meeting (26/02/08)
  - Confirmed minutes of meeting (20/11/08)
  - HPA byelaws
  - Letter from President to current members - 2006
  - Letter from President to current members - January 2008
  - Letter from President to current members - July 2008
- Accredited Reps
  - Role
  - Become a rep
  - Contact
- HPA regional structure
- Annual Delegates Meeting, 2005
- HPA Conference 2006
  - Presentations from the Conference
  - Unconfirmed minutes
- HPA Conference 2007
  - Presentations from the Conference
  - Unconfirmed minutes
Employment issues
- Terms and Conditions
- Regulation
- Pay
  - Evidence to the pay review body for 2006 (from Amicus section of Unite)
  - Evidence to the pay review body for 2006 (from RCN web site)
  - Evidence to the pay review body for 2006 (from Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists)
- Agenda for Change
  - Questions and Answers
    - 4th February 2008 There are a number of outstanding issues which have been addressed by these Q&As including: RRPs, calculation of sick pay, COLs, local contracts and protected on call agreements. Please ensure that these Q&As are used to resolve local difficulties and disputes relating to the interpretation of the AfC handbook.
  - Job Evaluation and Matching
    - Assimilation response form
    - Outcome expectations
    - Trainee Gradings
    - Federation of Clinical Scientists' Briefing on Trainees under AfC
    - Reviews and Appeals
    - Supplementary Advice on reviews and appeals
    - Amicus section of Unite Advice
    - Consistency concerns re clinical scientists
    - Excel spreadsheet for profile determination
    - Latest Clinical Scientist profiles - includes note on withdrawal of previous Medical Physics profiles
    - Current Generic Profiles (revised version expected soon - allegedly)
    - Trainee Profile and HPA position statement
    - JEG advice on evidence for Reviews
    - Revised staff council procedure for resolving blocked matching/evaluation/consistency checking issues
  - Knowledge and Skills Framework
    - An introduction - Paul Ganney's IPEM ASM 2005 Presentation
    - Introducing KSF in a Medical Physics Department - Hugh Wilkins' ADC 2005 Presentation
    - KSF outlines - The HPA are becoming concerned that KSF outlines are being developed in isolation, and therefore without national consistency. In order to investigate this, we are asking members to submit broad outlines of posts, using a spreadsheet available here. Please complete it and e-mail it to Paul Ganney
- Recruitment and Retention survey results
- Recruitment and Retention survey questionaire
- A position statement on redundancy
HPC matters
- Continuing Professional Development. Niall MacDougall has developed a spreadsheet to assist with the recording of CPD for HCS registrants. A sample of his 2007 return, which you may freely adapt, is here.
- Are you registered? - There has been some concern over registrants with the HPC being removed from the register without warning. This is due to a direct debit not being paid (which may happen for a variety of reasons). The HPA therefore recommend that you check that you're still registered on a regular basis, by using the HPCheck website (http://hpcheck.org). We've not heard of any Clinical Scientists being affected in this way, and hopefully it will stay that way, but just in case...
  Technologist members have nothing to worry about (yet) as their register is voluntary and is not held by the HPC.
Information
- News Updates
  - Career Framework for Healthcare Scientists launched
  - Supporting information launched for above
- NHS Pensions - The NHS pension scheme changed in April 2008 - details may be found on this bit of the NHS pensions website.
  Unite have recently issued a briefing paper regarding the change-over from the old scheme to the new. It is here.
Join
- Interested? The new HPA leaflet is here.
- How to join
- The HPA is both a national branch and a professional group. You can be a member of your local branch and a member of the HPA NPG - this form allows you to opt in/out of them.
- HPA fees are tax deductible - this list shows it and this form is the one to use to claim it.
Unite &. other union issues
- Keep our NHS public - a campaign supported by the HPA
- Reduction in chaplaincy support - for any members where this is happening, the Amicus section of Unite have produced a draft letter to MPs which members may edit, sign and send.
- Professional Indemnity/Liability Insurance - a recent President's letter referred to PII being proposed to be offered by Unite (see here for details). This has led to queries regarding PII for private work. We cannot offer any recommendations on this matter, but some members have found insurance via
  PI Connect, 1 Beech House, Journeymans Way, Southend
  OfficeVillage, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 5TF
  Contact: Steve Dunne (Tel: 01702 445550, Email: stephen.dunne@piconnect.co.uk)

Maintained by: Paul Ganney