The Department of Health-supported genetic counsellor training post scheme in England: a unique initiative?
- PDF / 128,083 Bytes
- 6 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 40 Downloads / 153 Views
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The Department of Health-supported genetic counsellor training post scheme in England: a unique initiative? Chris Barnes & Lauren Kerzin-Storrar & Heather Skirton & Judy Tocher
Received: 28 February 2012 / Accepted: 9 May 2012 / Published online: 31 May 2012 # Springer-Verlag 2012
Abstract Although the professional title ‘genetic counsellor’ has wide international recognition, formal courses or training programmes in genetic counselling exist in only a small number of countries. In 2002, voluntary registration of genetic counsellors in the UK began under the auspices of the Genetic Counsellor Registration Board. Practitioners are eligible for registration after 2 years of genetic counselling practice and prior attainment of either a nursing or midwifery qualification with relevant Bachelor's degree or a Master's degree in genetic counselling. After a government commitment to increase the genetic counsellor workforce, the national professional organisation for genetic counsellors obtained government funding to expand training capacity for genetic counsellors through a training scheme. The Genetic Counsellor Training Post Scheme was designed to
ensure that both appropriately qualified nurses and Master's level genetic counselling graduates were offered the opportunity to undertake a 2-year training period prior to registration. The scheme has proved highly successful. Of 43 trainees appointed, 42 went on to work as genetic counsellors, and 36 have already gained their professional registration. Details of this unique scheme including trainee outcomes and experiences are presented. This type of scheme may be appropriate for the development of the genetic counselling profession in other countries. Keywords Genetic counsellor . Health professions . Professional practice . Training . Education
Introduction C. Barnes (*) : L. Kerzin-Storrar : H. Skirton : J. Tocher Genetic Counsellor Training Post Panel, Association of Genetic Nurses and Counsellors, 46 Park Hill, Carshalton Beeches, Surrey SM5 3RU, UK e-mail: [email protected] L. Kerzin-Storrar Genetic Medicine, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Manchester, St Mary’s Hospital, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, UK H. Skirton School of Nursing and Midwifery, Plymouth University, Wellington Road, Taunton TA1 5DY, UK J. Tocher Clinical Genetics Department, Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TH, UK
Genetic counselling in the UK was first established in 1946 (Harper 1993). Clinical genetics services are now well established and delivered by the National Health Service (NHS) through specialist regional genetics centres. Each centre employs a multidisciplinary team involving doctors (clinical geneticists), genetic counsellors, administrative staff and scientists and covers a population of between three and five million people (Donnai 2002; Kerr 2011). The clinical component of the service is an outpatient-based specialty although patients are also seen on wards, in other locations i
Data Loading...
