Exploring stakeholder perceptions of the Biomedical Scientist role

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A Delphi study exploring stakeholder perceptions of the role of the Biomedical Scientist in patient outcomes.

• IRAS ID

  273632

• Contact name

  Kathryn Dudley

• Contact email

  k.dudley2@wlv.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Wolverhampton

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 25 days

• Research summary

  This research will focus upon the Biomedical Scientist (BMS) workforce with an aim to establish how this group of healthcare professionals and associated stakeholders view the role of the BMS in achieving patient outcomes. Biomedical Scientists are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The relevant HCPC standards and the guidance from the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) frequently refer to BMSs working in the best interests of the patient and service user. However, the BMS role is regarded as a ‘back room’ function within healthcare as BMSs have little or no patient contact. This research will consider whether there is a shared understanding of if and how the Biomedical Scientist role contributes to patient outcomes.

  To date, there has been no research exploring the role of the BMS in achieving patient outcomes or how BMSs can strive to support patient-centred care. This research is valuable because if a shared understanding of the contribution of BMS’s to patient outcomes cannot be demonstrated there is a misalignment between professional policy, the curriculum and practice. There is also the potential to influence the policies and professional documentation issued by the HCPC and the IBMS if it is deemed that the currently issued standards should be revised.
  The study will use interviews and focus group to elicit the views of stakeholders of the Biomedical Scientist profession including qualified Biomedical Scientists, students studying BSc Biomedical Science, academics who deliver the Biomedical Science curriculum along with representatives from the organisations providing professional guidelines . These focus groups and interviews will then be used to construct a questionnaire where participants will be asked to rank their agreement with a series of statements. The results of this will them be disseminated via Twitter on the monthly #IBMSChat for discussion amongst the wider Biomedical Scientist community.

• REC name

  N/A

• REC reference

  N/A