The Future of Clinical Bioinformaticians in the NHS

Clinical bioinformatics is the application of bioinformatics in clinical settings to improve the delivery of patient care. Clinical bioinformaticians are already an important workforce in the NHS and with the proliferation of digital technologies, their importance is set to increase. This two-phase project aims to assess the retention and utilization of clinical bioinformaticians in the NHS trusts, as well as to develop and implement necessary strategies for improvement.

The first phase of the project is focused on building a comprehensive understanding of the factors related to the commissioning, training, and employment of clinical bioinformaticians in the NHS. This phase also included developing recommendations for keeping more clinical bioinformaticians within the ecosystem of the NHS and utilizing them in better ways.

The Future of Clinical Bioinformaticians in the NHS: An Assessment Report and Recommendations to Build and Boost the Future Workforce

The Future of Clinical Bioinformaticians in the NHS - Jul 2021.pdf

We are seeking feedback on the 10 recommendations that have been developed to improve the future of clinical bioinformatics as a profession in the NHS. The recommendations fall into 3 categories:

• Training and commissioning
• Stakeholder engagement
• Infrastructure and support

Provide feedback on the recommendations - the feedback form will be available until 8 September 2021.

The second phase of the project will focus on transforming the recommendations from phase 1 into actions and following up those actions to ensure that the changes in commissioning and employer models create a positive impact on the clinical bioinformatician workforce.