Summary of our Branch Board meetings at ESHG conference, Copenhague 2017
Dear colleagues,
We had another interesting meeting of the European Network of Genetic Counsellors and Nurses at the ESHG 2017 conference in Copenhagen, where more than 40 colleagues from Europe and further afield met for an update on the Genetic Nurses and Counsellors Professional Branch of EBMG.
There was news about many MSc genetic counselling programs. To reflect an increased need for genomics and bioinformatics training we heard some reports from Cardiff that will open a 3-year program in 2017 which is mostly online and will take 20 students per year and from the Genetic counselling training in England that is now through a 3 year genomics counselling MSc that will allow the graduates to qualify as clinical scientists as well as UK genetic counsellors. Other new programs were reported as the one from University of Sienna that will start their new English-based, 2 year full time MSc in 2018-2019. In other countries, Tel Aviv has started a 2 year MSc program, increasing the Israeli genetic counselling programs to 3. Melbourne will not have an intake of students this year as they restructure their program. An Armenian genetic counselling program is now open. Other related news came from the Glasgow program that is now accredited by the GCRB and Porto that will have a new intake of students on September this year. Sweden has formed a Swedish Society for Genetic Counsellors, with more than 50 members.
Other updates are that in agreement with the CLG professional branch the fees for full applications will be reduce to 180 euros-starting on Sept 2017; we will have a new timeline for register where online submissions of intentions will be between 15th July to 15th October and deadline for submission of full applications 15th February of the following year. Applicants will be asked to pay the fee at the submission of their intention and a partial refund will be made if cases of non-eligible. Applications under the Grandfather clause will be possible for applicants who work in a country where there is an approved Master course that has been running regularly since 2012 until and including October, 2018 and for applicants who work in a country without an approved Master course until and including October 2020.
There was interest among the group in identifying continuing education opportunities for registered genetic counsellors. The Professional Branch of Genetic Nurses and Counsellors is open to disseminate all the initiatives at the website https://www.eshg.org/408.0. html . Two important areas that were identified for continuing development are supervision and genomics. France will offer further genomics training to all its genetic counsellors. Cardiff will allow its online MSc modules to be taken as stand-alone, and may take over some of the Plymouth courses in genetic counselling. The board will look at developing a statement regarding supervision and will work towards posting education opportunities on the EBMG webpage also in a way to support continue professional development of registered genetic nurses and counsellors who are expected to submit their CPD portfolio at renewal of register.
We informed how during the past year the GNGC Branch Board collaborated with Orphanet to produce a Quality Questionnaire for genetic counselling centres, which will allow national Orphanet co-ordinators to objectively evaluate all 1400+ genetic counselling centres and all those applying to Orphanet prospectively.
We had farewell moment Chris Patch made a presentation to Heather Skirton, who is retiring, thanking her for her years of work in developing genetic counselling profession at European level, for her work with the EBMG and the Genetic Counselling Branch Board. Heather will be missed, but we wish her well in her retirement.
For more details on new developments please see our website https://www.eshg.org/408.0. html or feel free to email us on gcgn.ebmg(at)gmail.com