Welcome
The Voluntary Register of Clinical Technologists (VRCT) was founded in August 2000 with the primary task of taking forward the case for regulating the Clinical Technologist profession. In October 2004 the Health Professions Council (HPC) agreed that the Clinical Technologist profession should be regulated. In the intervening years the VRCT has been working with the Department of Health to ensure that all of the necessary requirements are in place for the regulation of the profession to go ahead.
Patient Safety Campaign
On 24th April 2013 a group of organisations representing nearly 10,000 unregulated healthcare professionals launched the Alliance for Patient Safety at the Houses of Parliament. The Registrar and the Assistant Registrar of the VRCT attended the launch with representative from the other professional groups to put forward the concerns of the professions to the politicians.
The launch was well received … …read more
The Alliance for Patient Safety was formed by a number of professions with the aim to make MPs and the puplic aware of the current lack of oversight on their professions and the potential risk this is putting patients under.
The representative bodies of professions that are seeking formal regulation include clinical physiologists, clinical technologists… …read more about the Alliance campaign
“Assistant Registrar”
Following an interview, Andy Mosson from the Association of Renal Technologists was appointed. to the post of Assistant Registrar.
Andy has been on the VRCT panel since 2003. Andy's profile can be seen at http://www.vrct.org.uk/vrct/panelmembers/andy_mosson_bio.pdf
“Registrant Representatives”“ At the June meeting of the Panel it was agreed that the Panel should be expanded to include 2 Registrant Representatives. An invitation was sent out seeking expressions of interest. As a result six applications were received for the two positions.
A ballot has held and The Scrutineers declare that Lorraine Harrison and Alistair Mitchell are duly elected. To see the full election results go to Election Results
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------VRCT Management Panel members step down from the Panel
Two members of the VRCT Management Panel Allyson Butcher (IPEM Rep) and Stuart Slade Carter have stepped down (IET Rep) . Their places will be taken by Professional Bodies nominated representatives and these will be announced as soon as possible.
Allyson has retired and Stuart will be concentrating on the "Day Job"!
I am sure the members of the register would like to join the remaining VRCT Management Panel members in extending their thanks to Allyson and Stuart for the work they have put in on behalf of VRCT and wish them all the best for the future.
What is happening to the Register
The VRCT panel are aware that at times it seems like there is no progress being made in having a more formal recognition of the register. The panel would like to assure Members that a number of discussions are ongoing but because of the complexities and the nature of these discussions their is a need for confidentiality. However, it is hoped to update members following the next VRCT panel meeting on December 5th
Improved services to VRCT registrants
Changes to the IPEM website and more importantly the back office management system has brought improved services to IPEM members
IPEM have been able to make some of these services available to members of the VRCT even if they are not IPEM members
One of the things that VRCT members have been wanting for some time is payment by Direct Debit and Credit Card. These features will be available in the future. Details of these enhancements and more will be available after the next Management Panel meeting on December 5th
VRCT Meetings
“The VRCT Assessors’ Panel have agreed that it would not be appropriate to publish the minutes of their meetings on the website as they include confidential and "work in progress" information and discussions which must be treated as confidential. However it felt that it was important to share information with Registrants and the general public in order to inform them of our current activity. The Panel has therefore agreed to publish a brief synopsis of its meetings.
To see a synopsis of the June 2012 meeting click here
To see a synopsis of the February 2012 meeting click here.
To see a synopsis of the November 2011 meeting click here.
VRCT Updates
On 31st December 2011 the VRCT closed all Grandparenting entry routes.
The only way to enter the Register is now via the Primary Criterion see Guidance Notes
VRCT Renewals
VRCT registration renewal will be due on the 1st Jan 2013.
Whilst the suggestion that an assured voluntary register is the future regulation method for Clinical Technologists VRCT are still pressing for statutory regulation.
Past Developments
HPC Press releaseThe publication of the government’s Health and Social Care Bill published on 19 January 2011, stipulates a new name for the HPC and a wider remit to encompass social care. The press release also states that HCPC may keep voluntary registers for unregulated professionals See full Press release
The VRCT Registrar will be seeking clarification as to what if anything this means for the VRCT.
In May 2011 VRCT wrote to the Chief Executive Officer of HPC"Can you indicate when Clinical Technologists can expect to be regulated and what the mechanism will be for transferring registrants from the Voluntary Register of Clinical Technologists to an HPC or HCPC register? Failing that, is there any likelihood of the HCPC taking on our voluntary register?"
See full text of letter
HPC reply
HPC confirm the Governments position on regulation and suggest that the most likely outcome is that the preferred regulation option would be an assured voluntary register unless it can be shown that there is a compelling case on the basis of public safety risk and where an assured voluntary register is not considered enough to manage the risk
See full text of the reply from HPC
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MSC DevelopmentsMSC have published the Curriculum and Training Manuals
See MSC Curriculum
PTP Modernising Scientific Careers Courses started at the end of September 2011 however there are no confirmed courses associated with the Physical Science Division as of the 20th July 2011. VRCT is aware that 2 courses have been accredited subject to certain conditions. There is no formal information available to confirm if the Universities in question have met these conditions
Accredited BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science Programmes for PTP
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