Page 16 - FSANZ Autumn 21 Volume 95 Amended

Certification a reality for IVF scientists
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The medical laboratory science profession in Australia now has its own national certification scheme – the Australian Council for the Certification of the Medical Laboratory Scientific Workforce
Australian IVF scientists are encouraged to join the scheme that became a reality on 1 July 2020.
In the absence of a regulatory requirement for registration, as operates in most OECD countries, a self-managed certification scheme was designed in recognition of the vital role scientific and technical staff members play in the safe operation of Australian medical services.
A certification scheme by scientists for scientists
A new company with members from different professional bodies has been formed to operate the scheme.
Representatives from FSANZ (SIRT), the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists, Australasian Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Australian Society of Cytology, Human Genetics Society of Australasia, Australian and New Zealand Society of Blood Transfusion, Australasian Society for Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Thrombosis Haemostasis Society of Australia and New Zealand, Australasian Cytometry Society, the RCPA Faculty of Science and colleagues from the histology discipline worked together to design a model of medical laboratory science certification for professionals, no matter their chosen discipline.
(https: //accmlsw.wildapricot.org/ ).
Congratulations to those individuals, especially Drs Sally Catt and Kristy Demmers who committed significant time and effort in the negotiations that have led to this important turning point in our professional development.
It is a major achievement for all of us given the scope of issues that needed to be canvassed. Thanks also to the FSANZ for providing seed funding for the scheme.
Kristy Demmers, who is SIRT Chair, serves on the Australian Council for the Certification of the Medical Laboratory Scientific Workforce Board to represent the interests of FSANZ and SIRT in the long term.
Demonstrate your professionalism
A profession is a disciplined group of individuals who adhere to ethical standards and who are accepted by the public as possessing special knowledge and skills.
Certification by the Australian Council for Certification of Medical Laboratory Scientific Workforce is a public guarantee that you are qualified, competent, and continuing your professional development.
The scheme was officially launched after a pilot trial and it now provides IVF scientists with a mechanism for assuring a commitment to professional standards of service that contribute to safe and ethical health care.
The first stage of implementation has started with certification for the scientist and technical officer professional groupings. Other professional groupings will be included once the scheme is established.
The post-nominals for certified professionals in these levels are MLS (Medical Laboratory Scientist) and MLT (Medical Laboratory Technician).
It is intended that these will become protected titles in accordance with the practices followed by other Australian self- regulated professions.
At the core of the proposed certification scheme is the current Competency-Based Standards (CBS) framework. Consultations and discussions for the development of the certification model confirmed that the current CBS was a useful guide for competent professional practice, although there is also scope for it to continue to develop and evolve over time.
In keeping with 21st century health profession regulation (and self-regulation) practice, the proposed certification scheme will include elements of competency assessment and it will promote professional development activities that support
competent professional practice.
In 2019, SIRT members were surveyed and asked: When the proposed certification scheme for medical scientists becomes available, would you be in favour of such a scheme?
78 per cent of SIRT members said they would be prepared to pay $100 to $200 per annum. With this level of support, the SIRT committee continued with the project and FSANZ supported the initiative with seed funding.
Certification lasts for two years and costs less than $200, some of which can be claimed back at tax time. While the uptake of the scheme has been affected by these uncertain times, applications have been slowly increasing and certified medical practitioners are now listed on the register available on the ACCMLSW website.
As the scheme is voluntary, if it fails to attract significant numbers it will fold. SIRT believes that would be to the detriment of the profession for decades to come.
Please visit the website www.accmlsw.org.au, take a look at the FAQs and send any queries to office@accmlsw.org.au or certification@sirt.org.au