Click here for more information on the 2020 programme
Dissection of Histopathology specimens is historically a task which was carried out by Consultant Pathologists in Pathology departments. In the last 8-10 years, it has been recognised that scientific staff (Biomedical Scientists) could be trained in tissue dissection, and several Scottish Pathology departments have adopted this practice to variable extent.
The Scottish Government’s National Delivery Plan for Healthcare Science recognises the importance of this evolving role for Biomedical Scientists (BMS), and its positive impact on delivering sustainable services. The transfer of tissue dissection activity from medical staff to Biomedical Scientists enables medical time to be freed up to undertake diagnostic reporting duties and associated direct clinical care work.
The Scottish Pathology Network developed a Scottish training school for BMS, to enable scientists to become tissue dissectors. Enabling BMS to undertake what has historically been a medical role has the potential to release medical time from tissue dissection work to diagnostic reporting or other clinical work.
BMS Dissection already takes place in most Pathology departments across Scotland, at variable levels. A data collection exercise undertaken in 2016/17 determined that, of the dissection time commitment in Scotland, 21% is delivered by BMS staff. SPAN’s long term goal is to increase BMS Dissection to enable medical time to be released from dissection to diagnostic reporting or other clinical work. This is a key deliverable in the Scottish Government’s National Delivery Plan for Healthcare Science – to develop sustainable services through workforce modernisation.
The first BMS Dissection Training School took place during 14th-18th May 2018 at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow. The School presented the ideal opportunity to enable new dissectors to obtain initial training in the practicalities of dissection, and also become familiar with the principles and clinical governance in laboratories.
An excellent Training School programme was developed to provide theoretical training and a basic practical overview of all of the main tissue specialities in Histopathology, and was intended to equip attendees with a strong basis from which to continue their dissection training. An evaluation of the first Training School can be found here.
The training course set out the following learning objectives so that by the end of the one week training course, candidates will be able to:
• Demonstrate a theoretical understanding of the principles of dissection for the specialties undertaken in this course
• Describe the clinical governance aspects of dissection
• Demonstrate an understanding of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for dissection in the specialties undertaken in this course
• Identify their further training needs to allow career progression in dissection
• Demonstrate an understanding of anatomy and pathology in the specialties in this course
• Outline the surgical procedures in the specialties undertaken in this course
Candidates also have an opportunity to observe and gain practical exposure to the dissection of selected tissues relevant to the specialties discussed in this course.
The 2020 BMS dissection training school has been postponed due to the COVID-19 situation. All those involved will be contacted when a new date is determined.
Click here for the 2020 case study on “Expanding the Role of the Biomedical Scientist”.