Good Laboratory Practice & Professionalism in Biomedical Science

Being a Good Scientist

• Core dimensions of scientific professionalism

  • Adherence to ethical practice ➔ acting within moral, legal, and professional frameworks.

  • Effective interactions with patients & service users

  • Communicating clearly, empathetically, and respectfully.

  • Effective interactions with staff/colleagues

  • Team-oriented behaviour, mutual support, constructive feedback.

  • Reliability and commitment to improvement

  • Continuously reflecting on, auditing, and refining one’s own practice.

• Significance

  • Directly impacts patient safety, data integrity, and public trust.

  • Forms the behavioural foundation for all later regulatory standards.

Regulatory Body: Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)

• Legal status & scope

  • UK statutory regulator for 15 health & care professions, incl. Biomedical Scientists (BMS).

  • Grants the state-protected professional title “Biomedical Scientist”.

• Key functions

  • Sets Standards of Proficiency (SoP) ➔ minimum competencies required to practise safely.

  • Approves integrated (sandwich) degrees that embed laboratory placement & HCPC registration training.

  • Issues Standards of Education & Training (SETs) for universities and training laboratories.

  • Audits Continuing Professional Development (CPD) compliance

  • Random sample audit every two years; evidence portfolio required.

• Practical/ethical implications

  • Practising without registration = criminal offence.

  • Failure to meet CPD obligations can lead to suspension/removal from the Register.

Professional Body: Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)

• Nature & role

  • UK professional body representing >20{,}000 biomedical scientists.

• Functions (complementary to HCPC)

  • Defines Code of Professional Conduct (ethics, behaviour, competence).

  • Sets professional standards that often exceed legal minima.

  • Awards professional qualifications

  • Registration Training Portfolio ➔ HCPC eligibility.

  • Specialist, Higher Specialist, & Fellowship diplomas.

  • Accredits undergraduate & postgraduate degrees (curriculum mapping to QAA benchmark + Registration Portfolio).

  • Maintains CPD scheme (online CPD e-portfolio, reflective practice guidance).

  • Promotes lifelong learning via journals, conferences, webinars.

• Significance

  • Provides peer-led governance and career development beyond statutory requirements.

IBMS Code of Conduct – Professionalism

• Core duties

  • Uphold the reputation of both the IBMS and the wider profession.

  • Maintain highest standards of professional practice; prioritise patients’ best interests.

  • Respect confidentiality of patients, employers, & service users (exceptions only when lawfully justified and in patients’ interest).

  • Refuse to practise (or pressure others to practise) where standards, ethics, or laws would be compromised.

• Ethical dimension

  • Balances duty of care with legal obligations such as GDPR and whistle-blowing legislation.

Characteristics of Professionalism (Personal Attributes)

• Attitude ➔ positive, supportive, solution-focused.

• Appearance ➔ appropriate lab attire, PPE, ID badges; conveys competence & infection-control compliance.

• Communication ➔ clear, concise, polite; includes result reporting & interdisciplinary liaison.

• Demeanour ➔ respectful, non-discriminatory, equitable treatment of all.

• Reliability ➔ punctuality, meeting deadlines, accurate record-keeping.

• Competence ➔ validated training, adherence to SOPs, awareness of own limits.

• Ethics ➔ integrity, honesty, avoidance of data fabrication/falsification.

• Accountability ➔ willingness to accept responsibility and learn from error.

Why Professionalism Matters

• Patient trust is contingent on perceived professionalism.

• Shapes public perception of healthcare workers and the laboratory medicine discipline.

• Facilitates effective teamwork ➔ shared goals, reduced conflict.

• Enhances patient experience via timely, accurate results and empathetic interactions.

IBMS Code of Conduct – Competence

• Work within personal limits of knowledge, skills, experience.

• Do not delegate to untrained personnel unless under direct supervision.

• Ensure subordinates receive adequate support & supervision.

• Commit to continual professional development across entire career.

• Communicate effectively; meet all reporting standards (e.g.

  • ISO\,15189 traceability.

  • Local critical result notification policies).

IBMS Code of Conduct – Behaviour

• Avoid bias, conflicts of interest, or undue influence overriding professional judgement.

• Act immediately when patient safety/service delivery is at risk (follow local & national whistle-blowing policies).

• Treat patients, service users, and colleagues respectfully & equally, free from discrimination/prejudice.

• Cooperate with employer and professional colleagues to provide a safe, high-quality service.

Professionalism in Education (IBMS-Accredited Courses)

• Students must meet the same high standards of professionalism/ethics as registrants.

• Universities enforce this via:

  • Student Codes of Conduct.

  • Fitness to Practise or Professional Suitability procedures (mirroring HCPC principles).

• Misconduct can lead to:

  • Warnings, suspension, or expulsion.

  • Reporting to placement providers and/or professional bodies.

Unprofessional Behaviour – Case Studies

• Sourced from HCPC Fitness to Practise (FtP) hearings & media:

  • Royal Bournemouth Hospital: scientist struck off for “serious & wide-ranging incompetence”.

  • Wigan: pathology lab worker removed for fraud.

  • Scunthorpe: scientist disciplined for unauthorised working.

  • Durham: struck off after incorrect result processing.

• Common themes

  • Persistent competency gaps, falsification of records, criminal convictions, or dishonesty.

• Learning points

  • FtP proceedings are public; reputational damage extends to organisations.

  • Reflective practice and early remediation are critical to prevent escalation.

Further Reading & Resources

• HCPC report: “Professionalism in Healthcare Professionals” (evidence base & policy recommendations).

• HCPC Standards of Proficiency – Biomedical Scientists (latest review; summary of changes).

• Ahmed, Glencross & Wang (2016) “Biomedical Science Practice”, 2^{nd} Ed. – foundational laboratory professionalism text.

• ISO, CLSI, and WHO documents on laboratory quality & ethics (cross-reference with course reading list).