News
The Future of Voluntary Registration
Over the last 18 months the Voluntary Registration Council (VRC) has been working very closely with the Academy of Healthcare Science (AHCS).
Over the last 18 months the Voluntary Registration Council (VRC) has been working very closely with the Academy of Healthcare Science (AHCS).
The AHCS already hold a voluntary register for Healthcare Science Practitioners who have successfully completed a recognised Practitioner Training Programme (a list of such programmes may be found here).
The AHCS have proposed that the existing VRC registers, including the register for Anatomical Pathology Technologists, migrate across to the Academy and form a cluster register that would be held by the Academy and accredited by the Professional Standards Agency (PSA).
APTs who are a member of the VRC register will shortly be receiving a consultation document. This consultation document will outline the options that currently exist to the VRC and the proposed option of migration to the Academy.
It is extremely important that APTs who receive the consultation document via the VRC read and understand the proposal set out by the Academy and are happy with the proposed timeline. Registered APTs should voice any concerns via this consultation document and return the document as soon as possible.
What does this mean to APT’s who are not yet registered?
The VRC will shortly be taking a break from accepting applications from all member groups, while work is conducted on the existing registers in preparation for the proposed migration to the Academy.
If the migration of the existing VRC registers to a PSA accredited cluster register progresses as the Academy envision; then APTs who wish to become professionally registered will be able to apply to the Academy once the transfer of the registers is complete.
There should be a period of time where the criteria for the routes to registration for APTs will remain the same.
Diploma holders can apply for Direct Entry and Certificate holders who have held the Certificate qualification for more then two years can apply for registration under the four-year route.
Once the academy hold the accredited register for APTs and the agreed period of time has expired; the academy will be able to set their own entry criteria for APT registration.
The AAPT council is very supportive on the proposed migration to the Academy’s accredited cluster register; but has voiced their concerns in relation to the proposed timeline set out by the Academy.
I will continue to update the AAPT council and the registered APTs as progression is made with the proposed register migration.
Katie Tomkins
APT VRC Registrar