Standards
The Standards We Use
We have several sets of standards that we use in our education and training activities as well in the other areas of our work. Our Standards of Education and Training are used by education providers when developing new and reviewing existing programmes to ensure that:
- the development and review process are sound, for example, adopting an inclusive design approach and involving input from employers, learners, patients and the public
- the programme is responsive to the needs of the NHS
- the programme draws on current academic knowledge and practice
- all learners have an equal opportunity to complete the programme successfully, for example through the use of a range of teaching and assessment approaches
- there are mechanisms in place to support leaners through the programme.
Through our use of the standards in our accreditation process we can help to assure that programmes meet our threshold standards, at a minimum, and that learners completing the programmes are sufficiently educated and trained to practice safely for the benefit of the patient and the public.
The National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS) who accredited the Practitioner Training Programmes (PTP) and Higher Specialist Scientist Programmes (HSST) on our behalf use these standards to underpin their accreditation process.
Good Scientific Practice and the Standards of Proficiency
Education providers wishing to go through our accreditation process, including those managed for us by the NSHCS also have to map the programme outcomes and assessments to the standards set out in Good Scientific Practice and the relevant Standards of Proficiency.
Good Scientific Practice sets out the values and behaviours expected of all those working in the healthcare science workforce. The standards originally published in 2012, were reviewed and updated in 2021 following an extensive review process. A summary of the changes is available here. These standards are used by education and training providers, learners, and registrants to ensure that safe and good working practice is used throughout the profession. They can also help the public understand what they can expect from the healthcare science workforce.
Good Scientific Practice is a key document which underpins our Equivalence processes and is the specific set of standards used in STP Equivalence.
Similarly, our Standards of Proficiency are used to guide the education, training and practice of the healthcare science workforce. As well as acting as a benchmark for registration with us.
There are currently ten sets of standards of proficiency:
Curriculum Development Standards
We maintain the Standards for Curriculum Development, which are available here .
The standards are important to ensure that new Practitioner Training Programme (PTP) and Higher Specialist Scientist Training programme (HSST) curricula include: the importance of public and patient involvement; inclusive curriculum design, currency of content; proper preparation for working life; professional regulation; and arrangements for regular curriculum review to ensure continued currency.
The National School of Healthcare Science is responsible for the development and approval PTP, HSST curricula on our behalf.
The curricula can be found here:
PTP – https://nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/ptp/
HSST – https://curriculumlibrary.nshcs.org.uk/hsst/
Since September 2020, the National School of Healthcare Science is the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) approved education provider for the Scientist Training Programme and therefore liaises directly with HCPC in relation to the approval of curriculum. Prior to this we were the HCPC approved education provider.
