Issues
arising from the Royal College of Pathologists Council meeting
held on the 3rd November 2005
Clinical
Academic Staffing in Pathology
A
letter had been received from the Council of Medical and Dental
Schools expressing concern about current levels of staffing in
Academic Pathology. The President had written a response. A discussion
followed about the new funding available for Clinical Academic
posts, including scope for career progression. The view was expressed
that posts should be created within Pathology to capitalize on
this new funding. However although senior posts were to be fully
funded, junior posts would not be. 75% of funding would need to
be found by the host organization. There were also problems in
terms of capacity as training would need to be provided for the
latter. It would be necessary to have protected time for teaching
and research. The definition of Academic Pathology was unclear
as it was possible to do good research outside the traditional
setting.
Procurement
of diagnostic services from independent sector
The
President had written a letter to Lord Warner and copied to Lord
Carter, concerning the process of the independent review in Pathology.
Professor Chris Price and Marcus Robertson were to form part of
the panel. Lord Carter is to visit the College on 21 st November
2006 to meet the Modernisation Reference Panel.
An
enquiry had been sent by the Science Council's Science in Health
Group as part of an Integrated Diagnostics Study requesting a
response from the College: concerning the utilization of new technologies
and barriers to implementation; improved use of IT and the patient
record; usefulness of patient pathway; etc. Comments by council
included the fact that a plurality of provision could potentially
lead to less integration; the fact that the lack of ability to
shift funding between silos was a barrier to improving technology
application.
The
Human Tissue Act required the nomination of a license holder and
a discussion followed on who this should be. Options ranged from
the Chief Executive who had ultimate responsibility for funding
etc, versus the CD, or individual investigator. It was felt that
this may need to be determined locally.
.
Academy
of Royal Colleges
The
President had written to Dame Parveen Kumar (Medicine's Safety
Agency)and Dr Susan Ludgate (MHRA) about the quality issues associated
with cholesterol testing
Postgraduate
Medical and Education Board had agreed a concordat with the Colleges
to work collaboratively. A Medical Assessment Partnership Board
would be formed. Concerns had been expressed that some funding
for postgraduate education had been used by SHASs for other purposes.
PMETB
A
strategy for 2006-10 had been launched. Inspection of Trust for
postgraduate training by the College was discussed. This had been
limited in the past by the number of Members and Fellows willing
to undertake the visits. Although it was envisaged that fewer,
and more co-ordinated inspections would need to be undertaken,
perhaps with other diagnostic disciplines.
Treasurer's
Report
Health
Foundation Fellowships had been uplifted in value to take new
contract into account.
Jean
Shankks Foundation had funded a further fellowship.
Workforce
Planning
A
survey of Histopathology consultants on their reasons for moving
posts had been undertaken and would be extended to other disciplines.
Some worrying features were evident.
The
workforce database was being finalized the difficult of who would
be responsible for updating it and the funding for this was discussed.
Training
and Education
College
sponsorship of senior doctors may be more difficult. The GMC document
on this suggested it should only be for trainees.
The
Chairs of the Assessment panels had been appointed and training
for members completed.
There
was a joint venture with the RCP regarding training in cross-competencies.
Regional
Councils
Representative
on Consultant Appointment panels; the role was clearly not as
formal as previously but the concordat indicated that Foundation
Trusts were keen to use the College's expertise in this matter.
Examinations
Training
for Examiners will be started in the near future. Examinations
would need to mirror the training. There was little slack in the
system to allow major changes at present. There had been a moratorium
of changes in the curriculum, but there was pressure to allow
some changes to occur, with extra resources being used to allow
this. PMETB would scrutinize the
examination process.
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