News

Council Elections 2019

8 July 2019

The AAPT are delighted with the response from members calling for nominations to the Council.

There are five seats available and seven nominations. Voting forms will be sent in the post with a deadline of returns by 9th August 2019. 

Only Fellows, Members and Students can vote. To inform your decision, the candidates also sent their reasoning for standing for election:

ROMELING, EMMA (current Council member up for re-election): proposed by Michael Coombes FAAPT

As a Senior APT and part-time Joint Mortuary manager of Mortuary & Bereavement Services for Wrightington Wigan & Leigh NHS FT, I am heavily involved with HTA compliance as a Designated Person and Nominated Individual and part of the post-mortem consent team. As part of my role I am involved in the key areas which increasingly affect us all: finance, IT and quality management etc.

I am standing for re-election for a place on the AAPT Council as I am very passionate about our profession and being involved in the continual development of this role along with providing support to APT’s across the country. As part of my current council duties I work closely with the current education provider and I also allocate the assessors to trainees that are working towards their Level 3 Diploma in APT.  

It is important to me that we communicate with you the members about what is happening with those that sit on council and have now set up a monthly update that is shared on the AAPT website.

I am passionate about all areas of being an APT:

• Professional Registration
• Supporting other APT’s
• All aspects of education for APT’s including HTA & Bereavement Support
• Promoting the APT Profession to the other colleagues and the public
• Newly involved with arranging the Annual Education Event

CAST, ROBERT: proposed by Amy Ellis FAAPT

Note: Robert is a current Student member of the AAPT, and would require Member class of AAPT membership by the AGM 2019

Since joining the AAPT in May 2017, I have been an advocate for our profession and am very committed and dedicated to my role as an APT as well as educating others about my work and the work within the Mortuary that is highly stigmatised and underappreciated.

Since progressing through my Level 3 Diploma I have given multiple presentations to our company employees on the APT role in the mortuary, mortuary science in general, dignity in the mortuary to which our team won the King’s Dignity Awards in 2018 and also have completed the final stages of approval to run an introduction to the mortuary two-day course for potential trainee APT’s to educate them about what they are signing up for and how to best achieve a positive outcome at interview.

My background in anatomy and physiology as well as my appreciation for our role and our endless, highly specialised knowledge means that I am a strong believer in our current mission to become Science Council registered and this is a topic I am very passionate about at the moment. I would love to be a part of the council at this pivotal time and be able to assist in anyway way possible to see this through to fruition.

Since applying for a student position on the council I have now (pending results) passed my Level 3 Diploma to what I hope is a high level. I am very comfortable publicly speaking especially on the topics of AAPT, APT’s and the mortuary and our role, in fact I love helping in any way possible to make our presence in the professional and public community known.

Professional bodies and achievements: 

Institute of Biomedical Science- E-student:  

The Physiological Society (UK)- Affiliate:

Association of Anatomical Pathology Technology- Student:

The Royal Society of Biology- Associate

The Institute of Anatomical Sciences

• 10th BDIAP Seminar for trainees in Histopathology, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (March 2017)
• AAPT conference attendance 2017/2018
• AAPT London regional event 2019
• BT Young Scientist Awards 2006 – Special Award from Comhar, The National Sustainable Development Partnership
• BT Young Scientist Awards 2007 – 3rd in the Senior Individual Technology Category and Special Award from the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland
• 2017 MSc Academic Student Representative- Anglia Ruskin University
• Kings College Hospital/ Viapath Team Captain and Winner 2017- World Quality Day
• 2017 Viapath Award Nominee- Bright Beginner
• Honours Certificate in Oral Communication
• Honours Certificate in E.C.D.L- European Computer Driving License
• Certificate in TRIZ, “Theory of Inventive Problem Solving”

My main areas of interest include anatomy and anatomical dissection and as a long term goal I hope to progress to MSc and PHD level in Anatomy and teach anatomy to others within my role as an APT.

I also very much love my job and always relish the opportunity to speak to others or present about my role and the work in the mortuary at any opportunity. I have a keen interest in APT’s being given more recognition for their role and being able to push for a higher banding in the NHS as well as the possibility of progressive training past the Level 4 into the realm of BSc/MSc study such as the pathology assistant training program in the USA which takes the strain off junior registrars and pathologists to complete post mortems outside of scheduled workload.

HARDY, ANITA: proposed by Scott Raven FAAPT

I have been an APT for 5 years based at the QMC in Nottingham. I started as a trainee and qualified in 2018 which is an achievement I am immensely proud of. I joined the AAPT as soon as I started as I love being part of a network of professionals who I can engage with and share ideas. I have attended numerous conferences and will be giving a presentation at this year’s event, with a colleague.

This year I have had the privilege of mentoring a trainee and it has been both challenging and rewarding. It has been a pleasure to watch her grow in confidence and has ignited a passion within me for education/training.  As an APT we come across so many different scenarios on a daily basis and are constantly learning and growing within the profession. I am actively involved in the training group in my department and have hosted teaching with paramedics, medical students, police and nursing staff as well as giving presentations and talks to various departments/ groups.

I am a huge advocate for CPD and try to help encourage others in my department to keep up to date with their CPD activities. I am always looking for new activities to participate in and regularly share articles and quizzes to the APPT website page.

I am currently in the process of gaining professional registration and as I believe this is a huge step for APTs to get recognition and acknowledgement as well as being accountable for our actions.

As a junior person in my team and with the full support of my manager,I am well placed to learn and grow from the experience of others and would love to have a seat on council to help push forwards our amazing profession and be part of a group focussed on strengthening our profession.

In 2018 I was able to complete my Level 3 diploma and become a qualified APT. This has in turn led me to help the trainees in my department work towards their own level 3 diplomas and more specifically mentor one of them which has been a pleasure. Last year I also gained a CPD award at the Conference and this year I will be doing an abstract presentation with my trainee about CT scanning which is a new and exciting undertaking for us.

My main areas of interest are in CPD and education. I am really passionate about CPD and am constantly looking for new activities to undertake as well as pushing my colleagues to do the same. The CPD portfolio makes it so easy to document activities and show case to the AAPT and employers the extra steps you are willing to take to grow and develop as an APT. I have submitted several articles and RTR tests to the APT and look forward to having the opportunity to creating further opportunities for APTs if I am lucky enough to get elected.

GODDARD, MARTIN: proposed by Amy Lee FAAPT

Having been an APT for 18 years I remember a time before the AAPT existed and the lack of parity across the profession.

There were no standards of service to the deceased or bereaved, the quality of work was highly variable and health & safety was unheard of in some areas. I also remember how the formation of the AAPT and its ongoing work changed all of this. It successfully supported APTs through Agenda for Change and brought our work to the fore at national level. It has continued to seek registration as a profession, redesigned our qualifications and been a key stakeholder in government proposals that affect our area of work.

I have supported the AAPT for some years to a lesser degree, acting as a Chair for the SW region, assisting with delivery of the training on HTA consent and generally trying to supply constructive comments and thoughts to the Council where I could. Unfortunately due to the pressures/circumstances of life and having three children under the age of 6 I wasn't able to do more. 

Now with 18 years mortuary experience (7 of which as a manager) and a fantastic team in my workplace, I feel I am in a position to work for the profession and give back some of the support the AAPT has given me. I feel my knowledge and qualifications should be put to work to benefit not just APTs, but all the other groups that use our services.

Professional acheivements & interests:

• Certificate and Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology
• ILM Certificate
• PgD in Death, Bereavement and Human tissue studies
• SW regional chair
• Interests of education & teaching, particularly bereavement care and forensic work post mortems
• Strong interest in tissue donation
• Consent Training Day Lead

NOBLE, TAROT(current Council member up for re-election): proposed by Patrice Brissett, Student member

When I first joined the Council in 2016, I took part in the end of life care, professional registration and the HTA sub groups. It took a little while to get going with these, but working alongside other Council members I was able to help draft the HTA inspection report letters, good practice guides and areas for improvement, as well as partake in different meetings to help improve what we do as a council for our members, more recently taking part in the IBMS stakeholder group.

During my time on Council, I have also thoroughly enjoyed being an assessor for the Level 3 Diploma, and a CPD scrutiniser, recently being the main CPD officer to mark the new online applications. I look forward to working with the AAPT to help improve the online CPD process so it is more user friendly for everyone. I know this will be an ongoing project, and would love the chance to keep doing something that I feel passionate about. Professional registration is also an area that I am very passionate about, working with other council members to help work towards statutory regulation.

If re-elected, I would love to step up and take on more within the council, including further work within the education and training areas. I am hoping to be able to keep working with the AAPT to help with continuous improvement of our service, taking on more within the role of council member to help better our service to our patients, and support all of our members.

Professional body achievements:

• Member of the AHCS
• Certificate and Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology
• CPD Scrutiniser
• Assessor for the Level 3 Diploma in APT

Areas of interest:

• HTA
• Registration and CPD
• Education and training
• End of life care

COOMBES, MICHAEL: proposed by Keeley Clemens, Student member

As the mortuary operational manager for Salford Royal Hospital I have a functioning role to ensure the smooth day to day running of a busy hospital/public mortuary, I am the person designated on our HTA licence and we are UKAS accredited. I have experience in Coronial, Forensic and Neuropathological post mortem examinations including CJD.

I have wanted to get involved with the AAPT Council for a number of years but had never previously applied. I am now standing as I see our profession achieving greater recognition with the advancement in training courses and the further push to gain professional registration. I have recently enlisted as an external assessor for the Level 3 Diploma candidates.

I am passionate about all areas of my work and promoting our profession:

• Professional Registration for all APTs
• Education support for experienced trainee APTs
• Newly involved with external assessments for the Level 3 Diploma candidates
• Cross centre competency assessments for higher level APTs (managers)

BEST, GEMMA (current Council member up for re-election): proposed by Sacha Derrick MAAPT

I wish to stand for council as I truly believe in the difference this has made to not only the APT’s we support, but also the difference we are making for the deceased and their loved ones.

The progress made with the examination process over the last four years is remarkable, and is certainly improving the workforce ideals, and the standards we expect as a profession. I have certainly enjoyed participating in the Death Investigation Group on behalf of the AAPT, this has brought about new guidance for Pathologists, whereby they have listened to our views as a profession, improving the standards expected. I would like to carry on with this, ensuring we make inroads and ensuring we have a voice to be heard.

As a voice for members, the changes made in recent years, are due to the hard work put in by the AAPT council, and I would certainly love to continue with my role.

The Science Council membership is an exciting opportunity for APT’s, for which I would like to be more involved, and to assist members with applying. This great profession is continuously moving forward, for the better, and I hope I can help with this.

I feel I am very approachable to all members, and am able to listen and voice their ideas and concerns, and act upon them, communicating the outcome of this.

Improving our standards I believe starts with self reflection, for which CPD is essential, and one of my greatest interests.

As a sub-group of the Council, we put plans together for better communication with members, which now the website is updated, I would like to work with other sub-group members to put these into action.

As a member it is very pleasing to see the results of the work of the Council, as a Council member it is extremely exciting to see all the hard work pay off.

There are always ways in which we can improve standards, I would be honoured if I could assist with this into the future.

Professional achievements & interests:

• Fellow of the AAPT
• AHCS
• Death investigation group
• Communication
• CPD
• Science Council