Background

The commitment, set out in the Genetics White Paper, to increase the genetic counsellor workforce by at least 50 posts through support for existing and new training opportunities is well on its way to being met through the Genetic Counsellor Training Post scheme. This scheme is profession-led and monitored, and is fully funded by the Department of Health.

A total of 17 Centres have been approved for genetic counsellor training and 43 trainees have been appointed in two phases of the scheme. Approved Centres must provide access to a comprehensive learning environment suitable for genetic counsellor training. Detailed information about the scheme and training centre criteria can be obtained from the Training Panel.

Appointment to the training posts has been very competitive, with up to 70 applications received after advertisement for individual posts. This has meant that the scheme has been able to attract individuals with a high degree of commitment and enthusiasm. 

Professional and educational backgrounds of trainees 

One of the primary aims of the scheme, to ensure a diversity of backgrounds amongst the genetic counsellor workforce, has been achieved.

Sixteen (37%) of trainees appointed in the scheme had a professional background in the health or social services, mainly in nursing. Four of these trainees had an MSc in Genetic Counselling in addition to a professional background. Twenty-two (51%) of trainees had a scientific background and an MSc in Genetic Counselling. The remaining five trainees had neither a health professional background nor a Genetic Counselling MSc, but were graduates who used their training post to obtain an “entry-level” MSc (permissible only in the first phase of the Scheme).

Outcome data: the current situation  

Nearly two-thirds (63%, n=27) of the trainees now hold a substantive genetic counselling post in a Regional Genetics Centre. The majority of these past-trainees (74%) practice in the Centre at which they trained, with seven trainees moving to a post in a different Centre.  There is one trainee who completed but is not currently working as a genetic counsellor.   

Fifteen trainees remain in post, two of whom are due to complete their post during 2008. Eleven trainees will end their training in 2009.  

The training scheme was designed to enable trainees to develop the competencies and prepare the portfolios required for professional UK genetic counsellor registration.  Of the 27 former trainees in post, nine have now successfully completed the formal registration process and are Registered Genetic Counsellors, with another one currently being assessed by the Registration Board.   

Meetings between the Training Post Panel, Mentors and Trainees 

Trainees and their mentors, all of who were experienced genetic counsellors, have benefited from the opportunity to meet as a group at the three organised Scheme “away days” in Birmingham.  Mentors and trainees evaluated these meetings positively as an important forum for sharing experiences on approaches to learning and mentoring. The most recent cohort of trainees organised their own meeting in June 2008 and used this opportunity to evaluate successful practice and discussed effective strategies for preparing for Registration.

 Presentations at International Conferences 

Reports about the Scheme have been the subject of poster presentations at two international conferences: the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG) meeting in May 2006 (Kerzin-Storrar et al, 2006) and the 20^th Annual International Society of Nurses in Genetics (ISONG) conference in May 2007 (Barnes et al, 2007).  These have generated considerable interest from international colleagues, who have been particularly impressed by this unique model of a national scheme which provides two year clinical training posts for genetic counsellors during which competencies required for professional registration can be achieved and documented. 

What has the current scheme achieved? 

It seems clear to all involved that this DH-funded scheme has been extremely successful in providing high quality training opportunities, leading to an increase in registered genetic counsellors in the workforce. 

When the scheme was announced and Regional Genetic Services invited to apply for Panel approval as genetic counsellor training centres, there was overwhelming interest from both lead clinical geneticists and genetic counsellors. Many commented that the application and interview process raised their awareness of developments in the genetic counsellor profession. Since then, many departments have fed back on the benefits to the service of having such high calibre and enthusiastic genetic counsellor trainees. Since the White Paper, recognition for the role and contribution of genetic counsellors has continued, as reflected in the joint document produced by the AGNC and CGS (CGS and AGNC, 2006). This training scheme has been an important factor in raising the profile and potential of genetic counsellors amongst medical and other colleagues, as well as establishing a more formal and structured approach to genetic counsellor training in the UK. 

As recognised in the White Paper, genetic counsellors are emerging as a defined professional group integral to the multidisciplinary specialist clinical genetics service.  With voluntary professional registration firmly established, efforts to be recognised by the Health Professions Council are now well advanced. 

The most important outcome of the training post scheme is the benefit to patients and families. A trained genetic counsellor workforce means shorter waiting times for patients (who would otherwise join the queue for appointments in the limited number of Consultant Clinical Geneticist clinics) and access to skilled counselling to facilitate decision-making and adjustment to genetic diagnoses and testing. 

The future 

The Training Post Panel, the AGNC Committee and the Genetic Counsellor Registration Board are committed to the continuation of structured training posts and approval of training centres after the current training scheme finishes. To this end, we are engaged in discussions with the relevant parties as to how training posts can continue to be funded and administered. In the meantime, the current Training Post Panel has offered to monitor non-DH funded training posts in a similar manner to the DH posts. One Centre has already taken up this offer. 

Genetic Counsellor Training Post Scheme Panel

 Chris Barnes (London)

cabarnes@blueyonder.co.uk 

Lauren Kerzin-Storrar (Manchester)

Lauren.Kerzin-Storrar@cmmc.nhs.uk

Heather Skirton (Taunton)

heather.skirton@plymouth.ac.uk

Judy Tocher (Sheffield)

judy.tocher@sch.nhs.uk 

References 

Barnes C, Kerzin-Storrar L, Skirton H, Tocher J (2007)

Development Of The Genetic Counsellor Workforce: a UK Department Of Health Funded Scheme.

Unpublished Abstract for 20^th ISONG Conference.

Clinical Genetics Society and the Association of Genetic Nurses and Counsellors. (2006) Professional Roles in the Multidisciplinary Team in Genetics: A Framework for Practice. Report of a Working Party.

(www.clingensoc.org/Docs/WP_AGNC_CGS.pdf)

Kerzin-Storrar L, Barnes C, Skirton H (2006)

Development of the genetic counsellor workforce-a UK Department of Health funded scheme.

Eur J Hum Genet 14 (supp 1): p. 399.