Non-medical endoscopist roles helping to transform the NHS workforce

Health Education England’s (HEE) accelerated training pilot for non-medical endoscopists has proved a success says a new report published today.

The report by the Office for Public Management explored HEE’s accelerated training pilot for non-medical endoscopists (NMEs) looking at its impact and effectiveness.  It found that:

• Trainees see the programme as a welcome professional and career development opportunity, providing a strong foundation for producing competent and independent  NMEs;
• Participating trusts valued the high quality accelerated training approach;
• Participants were consistently positive about the combination of elements that made up the training programme; and
• Majority of trainees from the first cohort (January 2016) are helping to meet endoscopy service demands, freeing up medical colleagues and impacting positively on patient care.

Professor Wendy Reid, Executive Director of Education and Quality & National Medical Director at Health Education England said:

We need to transform the NHS workforce and deliver training differently to meet the increasing demand for endoscopy. I am pleased to see our pilot is having such a positive impact not just on trainees but on the patients who have come into contact with them.

Speeding up the delivery of training means we will have more NMEs available to address endoscopy workforce and service pressures in  priority areas such as cancer.

Working with the Joint Advisory Committee on GI Endoscopy (JAG), HEE commissioned a pilot accelerated training programme to train suitably qualified registered health professionals to perform safe diagnostic procedures in either upper GI endoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy. HEE is continuing to roll out the accelerated training programme following the pilot.