PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
A collaborative research approach The project group itself exemplifies the power of collaboration through inclusion of academics and clinical practice, and clinical practitioners. The research team combines expertise in educational theory, leadership development, and applied biomedical science: n Dr Victoria Bradley, Cardiff Metropolitan University – Project Lead
n Nicola Rouse, The Open University – Co-Investigator
n Sheri Scott, Nottingham Trent University – Co-Investigator
n Tracey Elsam, Cardiff and Vale UHB (Cellular Pathology) – Clinical Partner
n Raymond Toghill, Cardiff and Vale UHB (Haematology) – Clinical Partner.
Mentorship has long been recognised as critical to professional growth, yet access to mentors within biomedical science remains inconsistent.
shared learning, collective influence at national policy level, and local and regional support. The IBMS Corporate Strategy 2022 calls for the profession to support, progress, and promote its members, ensuring clear routes to advancement and equitable access to high-level qualifications. Establishing a national CoP responds directly to these priorities, offering a mechanism through which biomedical scientists can connect, collaborate, and co-create resources to advance the profession collectively. Development of a CoP also aligns with the workforce priorities articulated by Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW), NHS England, and The Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath). Each has emphasised the importance of advanced clinical practice frameworks to address workforce shortages and ensure sustainable leadership within diagnostics.
The vision
The concept for the CoP is that it will be a peer-led, evidence-based framework for professional collaboration. Its vision is simple yet ambitious: to build a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable professional network that reduces isolation, strengthens leadership capability, and clarifies career pathways for advanced and consultant biomedical scientists. At its core will be a digital hub, which will be a dynamic online space hosting a discussion forum, career journey podcasts, shared resources, and CPD- accredited activities. Around this will sit a structured programme of mentorship, networking events (virtual and in person),
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and collaborative research opportunities. The project aims to:
n facilitate knowledge sharing across disciplines and regions
n support career development through structured mentorship
n enhance leadership capability and professional identity
n build cross-sector partnerships with universities, health boards, trusts, and government bodies
n embed the CoP within national workforce development frameworks.
By drawing on established models of CoP design, this initiative aims to promote inclusivity, ensure long-term sustainability, and deliver measurable outcomes. A CoP focused on professional development is built upon three core components; the community (the people involved), the domain (a shared area of interest), and the practice (the collective body of knowledge and skills cultivated and developed by the group). This form of CoP supports inclusivity by fostering open participation around a shared interest and encourages diverse perspectives through regular interaction and collaborative problem-solving. It promotes sustainability by empowering participants to create a self-renewing learning culture where they co-create and own the evolving body of knowledge, supported by trust and aligned goals. The measurable impact comes from the structured nature of practice- based learning, enabling tracking of engagement, knowledge contributions, and professional growth outcomes over time.
The research group has been deliberately designed to model the very cross- discipline/institutional collaboration the CoP seeks to promote, and the plans are to expand this to ensure that the voices and needs of all the devolved nations are met. This partnership approach doesn’t end there, this project will be co-created with the biomedical scientists it serves through participatory research methods, including surveys, focus groups, and continuous evaluation.
Project design and phases The project will unfold over six phases aligned with funding and evaluation goals. It will commence with stakeholder engagement, needs analysis, and CoP model design. A digital hub and CPD resources will be developed, with the community building aspect launched at IBMS Congress 2025. To follow on from the launch campaign and to support engagement a range of strategies and activities will be developed for the CoP, including: n Peer advocacy: CoP champions from different regions to promote the community locally
n Incentivised engagement: CPD credits for participation in forums, webinars and resource contributions
n Mentoring network: creating meaningful and supportive relationships for professional development
n Strategic partnerships: collaboration with NHS organisations and universities to embed CoP activities into training and development programmes
n Feedback: surveys and polls to understand member needs
n Educational resources: self-paced, online.
Evaluation of the project will run concurrently, using mixed methods to
DECEMBER 2025
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