News
Chair Report 2020
John Pitchers FAAPT FRSPH MIBMS looks back on 2019 and to opportunities for APTs in 2020
This is my first report as AAPT Chair and, as we head into a new subscription period, it’s a pleasure to be able to update you on what has been a busy and important year for Anatomical Pathology Technology.
Annual Educational Event
In 2019, the AAPT Annual Educational Event (AEE) came to Edinburgh and featured another impressive programme of speakers, with a diverse range of interesting topics. Thank you to all attendees for supporting the event, and to the organising committee for their hard work in making it happen.
The next AAE will be held at the Holiday Inn on Lime Street in Liverpool on Saturday 26th September 2020 and will include the AGM. The provisional programme booking will be available shortly and include information on the poster competition (topic: advantages and disadvantages of post-mortem digital imaging vs the traditional invasive post-mortem) As with last year, the prize this year is a day delegate place for the next AEE.
Members are also invited to submit an abstract for a talk they would like to present at AEE, and three of the entries will be chosen for presentation during the lecture programme. Chosen subjects should be interesting and relevant, and you must be prepared to present to attendees on the day.
Other events
As part of your membership you are entitled to reduced entry for AAPT training events; many of which are hosted in London due to its easy transport links to the rest of the country.
Events being held this year include:
- DVI Awareness Day (3rd April 2020 at the AAPT Office)
- National Consent Training with the HTA (24th April 2020 at the AAPT Office)
- Mortuary Managers Study Day (TBC)
As always, we are able arrange events in other areas subject to provision of accommodation and a minimum number of delegates, so please do get in touch if you have any ideas.
Social media
Social media continues to be an important tool for raising and supporting important issues within the sector, and for making links with others. @AAPTTweets is the official, general AAPT twitter account and @AAPTCouncilNews is a Council-specific account. Please do follow both if you have yet to do so.
The official AAPT Facebook members only group (Association of Anatomical Pathology Technology) continues to be a great way for professional and technical support and we were recently delighted to approve a significant number of Trainee APTs into the group, so please do welcome and support them.
Education
The Level 3/4 Diplomas in Anatomical Pathology Technology are continuing to be delivered by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, and there is now the ability to study at one of their satellite sites in Bedford. Thank you to Darren Makin for his co-ordination and management of the APT qualifications.
Stakeholder engagement
AAPT continues forge connections with relevant stakeholders, in order to support our aims and feed-in to relevant pieces of work.
As well as our regular partners the Institute of Biomedical Science, the Human Tissue Authority and the Royal College of Pathologists, we have also become licensed to offer registration with the Science Council at Registered Science Technician (RSciTech), Registered Scientist (RSci) and Chartered Scientist (CSci), which is an exciting opportunity for APTs to demonstrate their equivalence across the entire science workforce. There is a dedicated Science Council Registration domain on the AAPT website, so please do start your application today.
Another exciting development is AAPT’s acceptance as Associate Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Health Group, which has allowed us access to health decision-makers at the very highest levels of the health sector and industry. Our membership of this group will allow us to get much further involved in the subjects that matter most to us, including, as always, professional regulation.
Thank you to Ishbel Gall
At the AGM 2020, Mrs. Ishbel Gall will step down from the position of Past Chair and will formally bring her long and distinguished period of AAPT Council service to a close.
Throughout her time both as a Council Member and an Honorary Officer, Ishbel has shown an unwavering dedication to furthering and supporting the profession, and I’m sure she will continue to do so from within the membership.
Ishbel was one of the main driving forces behind the development of the specifications for the Level 3 Diploma, the Level 4 Diploma, the FdSc, and the BSc in Healthcare Science (Anatomical Pathology Technology), as well as the successful implementation of the two diplomas, so she leaves an impressive legacy of allowing APTs to be seen as equivalent in stature to other Healthcare Scientists.
I’d like to thank Ishbel for her commitment to the profession that I know she loves and for working hard to show the wider public that APTs are valuable, caring and compassionate professionals.
AAPT Strategy 2020-2024
At the 2020 AGM, AAPT will launch their strategy document outlining where our priorities and focus will lie over the next 4 years. I’m excited to share our vision with you, so am very much looking forward to the launch – look out for more information soon!
Thank you all for continuing to support AAPT – we will continue to work tirelessly on your behalf.
I am always open to comments and suggestions, so please feel free to drop me a line anytime at chair@aaptuk.org.
With all best wishes,
John Pitchers FAAPT FRSPH MIBMS