§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much it costs on average to train a person as a medical laboratory science officer. [113193]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 6 March 2000]: Given the multiple training routes for the pre-registration and post-registration training and the variable duration of study, it is not possible to provide a meaningful figure for the average cost of training a person as a medical laboratory scientific officer.
§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the salary level for each grade of medical laboratory science officer in the NHS; and how many employees there are on each pay level. [113201]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 6 March 2000]: National terms and conditions of service for medical laboratory scientific officers provide five grade pay scales.
The current minimum and maximum of each grade pay scale is:
£ Grade Minimum Maximum Effective 1 December 1998: Trainee MLSO 7,476 9,796 MLSO1 11,812 17,486 MLSO2 16,169 23,931 MLSO3 22,127 27,998 MLSO4 25,885 (32,753) The estimated number of MLSOs by grade, directly employed by the NHS in England, rounded to the nearest 1,000, is:
Grade Trainee MLSO 1,000 MLSO1 6,000 MLSO2 3,000 MLSO3 2,000 MLSO4 1— Note:
1 Less than 500; greater than zero
Improvement to pay, backdated to 1 April 1999, remains available.
§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many tests were performed by NHS medical laboratory science officers; and what was the ratio of tests per worker in each of the last 10 years. [113198]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 6 March 2000]: It is recognised that the workload in pathology laboratories is increasing but detailed information on the number of tests done by particular staff groups is not held centrally.
59W
§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what qualifications and training are required for a medical laboratory science officer grade 1; and what requirements exist for such staff to retrain on an annual basis. [113196]
§ Mr. Denham[holding answer 6 March 2000]: Medical Laboratory Science Officer is are graduates. They are state registered through the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine. To become state registered they need to possess an accredited first degree and to have undergone approved vocational training. The length of vocational training required depends on the entry degree and the ability of the individual.
Some MLSOs undertake programmes of continuing professional development that are approved by the Institute of Biomedical Science. These are not mandatory and there is no definite requirement, as yet, for staff to retrain on an annual basis.