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SPAN Launch Meeting 02/05/2006. The Specialty Adviser’s Consultation Implications for the Network Dr Jeremy Thomas Consultant Pathologist NHS Lothian Specialty Advisor in Histopathology. The Process. The Specialty Adviser is appointed by SEHD Job decscription
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SPAN Launch Meeting 02/05/2006 The Specialty Adviser’s Consultation Implications for the Network Dr Jeremy Thomas Consultant Pathologist NHS Lothian Specialty Advisor in Histopathology
The Process • The Specialty Adviser is appointed by SEHD • Job decscription • Consultation and the Annual Meeting
Advisory Structure CMO SMASAC Specialty Advisers
The Consultation • Prescribed structure – headings • Free rein on method of consultation • Relatively tight time frame
The Headings • Current issues affecting the specialty • Delivering for Health • Medical workforce planning • MMC
Current Issues 1 • Workload and workforce:5% annual increase in specimen numbersScreening programmesNurse practitionersHerceptinStatic workforce
Current Issues 2 • Modernisation:ITMolecular medicineCervical cytologyBMS careers incl role extensionSPAN } Technology } Organization
Delivering for Health • Reducing the health gap • Managing people with long-term conditions • Establishing new health and social care services in communities • Accelerating improvements in mental health services • Building on recent progress on waiting times • Streamlining emergency hospital care • Increasing day case surgery • Increasing the range of locally available diagnostic services • Strengthening healthcare in remote and rural areas
Building on recent progress on waiting times • Reorganizing cancer diagnostic services - Rapid processing - Clinics & MDMs - Extended working day for labs - Improving logistics
Increasing the range of locally available diagnostic services • In histopathology (and cytopathology) the trend is in the opposite direction • Good IT would improve the potential communication impact of this trend
Strengthening healthcare in remote and rural areas • Good IT and communication:- Test requesting and reporting - Video-conferencing
Overview of the Scottish Pathology Workforce 1 • Consultant vacancy rate – 6% - compares favourably with rest of UK (10%) • Difficulty filling vacancies but probably better than two years ago • Anticipated consultant retirement rate (assuming age 65) is double UK average between 2007 & 2016 • 27% of Scotland’s consultant histopathologists are 55+ against a UK average of 20% • Pathology is becoming specialised in the centres and that reduces staffing flexibility • Severe pressure points emerging in neuropathology, paediatric pathology and forensics
Overview of the Scottish Pathology Workforce 2 • Female consultants 36% in Scotland – UK average 33% • Female trainees 62% Scotland – UK average 56% • Recruitment of good trainees is not a problem at the moment but the collapse of pathology in the undergraduate curriculum and its near absence in F1Y/F2Y bodes very ill for the future • There is difficulty retaining trained trainees in Scotland because of inertia by some employers replacing posts. • BMS staff remain difficult to recruit and retain because of a poor career structure, low pay and a trend over the past five years to decimate selectively the senior grades following repeated laboratory reviews. This limits scope for developing extended roles of BMSs and other aspects of career progression.
Medical Workforce Planning • Changes in working practice:- Teaching centres & BMS cut up- AP reporting of CC – training in the future- Digital imaging and CC reporting
Modernising Medical Careers • FY2 and Pathology • Run through training
Conclusions • Channels of communication for the specialty • The place of SPAN • The need to develop an agenda and ensure wide ownership