The Association for
Clinical Biochemistry
Microbiology Group

• Home
• Join Us
• Training
• Continuing Professional Development
• Meetings and Events
• Professional Updates
• Members Only

Welcome to
The Association for
Clinical Biochemistry
Microbiology Group

The Association for Clinical Biochemistry Microbiology Group (ACB MG), a Special Interest Group of the ACB and formerly the Association of Clinical Microbiologists, is the professional body for Clinical Scientists in medical microbiology (encompassing bacteriology, food, water and environmental microbiology, mycology, parasitology, public health and virology).

The role of the ACB MG

Clinical Microbiologists are a subgroup of Clinical Scientists, a professional group registered by the Health Professions Council who provide science-based diagnostic, reference and research healthcare services and whose title is protected by law in the UK. In 1984 the Association of Clinical Microbiologists (ACM) was formed to represent Clinical Microbiologists in all professional matters, such as relations with the Department of Health and the Royal College of Pathologists. The ACM established a clear role for Clinical Microbiologists in the health service by producing grading criteria, job descriptions and management roles, and recommend National Assessors when appointing Consultant Clinical Scientists in microbiology. On 1^st July 2010 the ACM was dissolved and reformed as a Special Interest Group within the Association for Clinical Biochemistry called the Microbiology Group (ACB MG). Within the ACB an elected Microbiology Professional Committee (MPC) was formed to act on behalf of all Clinical Microbiologists in professional affairs. In this way the ACB MG and its MPC continue the work of the ACM as the professional body for Clinical Microbiologists.

The ACB MPC also provides training schemes and supports qualifications for the registration of Clinical Scientists, and organises scientific meetings and events for all ACB members and the wider scientific community. Details of the training schemes and curricula provided for members, both pre- and post-registration, and training events can be found on the Training page. For conferences, courses and meetings organised by the ACB MPC and other organisations, see the Meetings and Events page.

Latest updates

The ACB MG – one year old
It has now been a year since the Association of Clinical Microbiologists was dissolved on 1^st July 2010 and all of its existing members automatically became members of the new ACB MG. In this time the MPC have been integrating with the existing infrastructure of the ACB, getting involved with various committees and the regions. We now have microbiology representation on the ACB Council, National Meetings Committee, Education Committee, Trainees Committee, Workforce Advisory Committee, Publications Committee and Federation of Clinical Scientists National Committee to name but a few! There is also a microbiologist ACB News Associate Editor and representatives for the West Midlands and Southern regions. Microbiology articles have appeared in the ACB News and microbiologists have presented at regional scientific meetings. So, as you can see, we are trying very hard to retain our identity as Clinical Microbiologists whilst enjoying all the benefits of our new, larger association. We can only continue to do this with your help. Please keep attending the scientific meetings and submitting articles for the ACB News and the Annals of Clinical Biochemistry. Don’t forget that any member of the ACB is eligible to stand for election to the committees and regions, keep a look out in the ACB News for current vacancies. Please help to ensure that the voice of microbiology in the ACB becomes stronger and stronger.

Changes will continue for a while as we continue to integrate even further. We will still retain this website for the time being, but a brand new ACB website is in the process of being built. The MPC Website Editor is working with the Publications Committee who are developing the site to ensure that the content that is important to our microbiology members is a key part of this new site. More information on the progress of the new ACB website will be posted here as we have it, and we will keep you informed with the latest updates and events of interest to all ACB members through this website and in the ACB News.

End of an era for the Microbiology Professional Committee
Professor Paul Klapper (Consultant Clinical Scientist in virology, Manchester Royal Infirmary) has stood down as chair of the ACB Microbiology Professional Committee (MPC, formerly Association of Clinical Microbiologists Council) after more than five years in the role.

Paul was elected to ACM Council in April 2004 and became Chair in November 2005, following the departure of Dr Sue Skidmore (Princess Royal Hospital, Telford). He presided over the start of an on-going period of great change for clinical scientists that included the introduction of Modernising Scientific Careers and the Carter Review of Pathology Services. Paul saw that a stronger voice for clinical scientists in microbiology during these changes would require the support of a larger organisation. Following the example of the clinical immunologists, he was instrumental in negotiating the merger of the ACM with the ACB to form the ACB Microbiology Group (MG).

He brought considerable wisdom and humour to the role of Chair, which was much appreciated and will be greatly missed by his fellow committee members. As a gesture of thanks from the MPC, he was presented with a commemorative tankard at the MG Training Day on 23^rd March 2011 (see photo). However Paul continues to provide advice and support to the MPC through his membership of the Association of Clinical Scientist’s governing body and the Royal College of Pathologist’s Standing Committee for Clinical Science. He has been succeeded as MPC Chair by Dr Kirsty Dodgson (Consultant Clinical Scientist, Manchester Royal Infirmary), with Dr Steve Green (Health Protection Agency, Southampton General Hospital) as interim Chair while Kirsty is on maternity leave.

Modernising Scientific Careers - a new training programme
The UK health departments are currently implementing a new programme that will redesign and redefine the careers of all healthcare scientists (HCSs), termed the Modernising Scientific Careers (MSC) Programme. MSC was outlined in November 2008 and, after a period of consultation, the Department of Health (DH) published "Modernising Scientific Careers: The UK Way Forward" in February 2010. In April 2010 the DH then published "The England Action Plan" which details how MSC will be implemented. In November 2010 a new training programme called the Scientist Training Programme (STP) was developed to replace current Clinical Scientist training. The first batch of trainees were recruited into the STP in March 2011, to commence in September/October. The ACB MPC Education Chairs are working very hard to ensure that training curricula are set up correctly for the STP so that these new trainees emerge as fully developed HCSs. For further information on MSC see the Professional updates page, and on the STP see the Training page.

ACB MG Training Days
The ACB MPC organises annual Training Days for trainees working towards both Health Professions Council (HPC) registration and Fellowship of The Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) (Grade A and Higher Specialist trainees).  The events allow delegates to meet the ACB MPC Education Chairs and Trainee Representatives and to ask those important questions about HPC registration or obtaining FRCPath. For further details on these events see the Training page.

Contact us

Since January 2009 membership services for the ACB MG have been provided by the professional, dedicated Administration Office of the Association for Clinical Biochemistry. For all enquiries relating to the ACB MG, including membership, training and the website, please contact the ACB Administration Office by e-mail (admin@acb.org.uk), phone (020 7403 8001) or post (The Association for Clinical Biochemistry, 130-132 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2TU).

© ACM 2011 - All Rights Reserved