IBMS publishes Long Term Biomedical Scientist Workforce Plan

The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), have published their Long Term Biomedical Scientist Workforce Plan, a response to the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan. 

The ACB published our own response earlier this year, welcoming the recognition of the crucial role healthcare scientists play in the majority of diagnoses and the principles of 'train, retain and reform' laid out in the plan.

On the IBMS document, Kath Hayden, ACB President comments: "The IBMS Long Term Biomedical Scientist Workforce plan highlights the need to support the training and development of Biomedical Scientists, particularly in increasing Advanced Biomedical Scientist roles, to assist in addressing the current workforce gaps.

Data from The Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (ACB) has also demonstrated static numbers of Clinical Scientists and Medical staff in Laboratory Medicine despite ever-increasing demands for services. Changes to population demographics, a shift to prevention, and continued developments in research and technology will continue to require a well-trained and growing laboratory medicine workforce of all professions working together.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan recognises the need to increase the number of training places for clinical scientists. There is an additional requirement for continued workforce upskilling to fulfil predicted shortfalls in medical consultants in Laboratory Medicine. The ACB is keen to work with the IBMS to achieve prescribing rights for biomedical and clinical scientists via the Human Commission for Medicines and with the Department of Health to take the recommendations to Parliament as a Statutory Instrument to approve in legislation, and to support plans for developing the future Laboratory Medicine workforce that will be key to meeting the challenges placed on it and achieving the highest quality of laboratory testing and patient care."