Jocelyn Pryce and Richardia Penn from the IBMS education team outline how members can help ensure the qualification, registration and training processes go as smoothly as possible.
Those of you who regularly read this column will know that we are always here to help our service users and members with any queries regarding our qualifications, registration and training.
Last month’s article reviewed the successes of 2019 and looked forward to 2020 and, following that, this month seemed perfect timing for us to reflect on how we might help you and how you might help us to do that.
Supporting you is important to us and we do this in numerous ways, including local and national training events, the information on our website and in the form of guidance documentation held there, as well as from our team here at Coldbath Square in London.
Here are some ways that you can help us to help you:
- If you are planning on applying for a portfolio or verification/examination, please refer to the website for the current version of the application form, as this will help us to process your application faster. Inaccuracies can cause delays.
- Please ensure that you have filled out all relevant sections on our forms. We have received feedback in the past that the information required on forms was repetitive and we have spent significant time reviewing this, ensuring that we only ask for information that is required. We use each stage as a check-point for information we hold about you and your candidate to ensure that we have correct details.
- Please regularly refer to the guidance given on our website, as this can change and you may be following an outdated process or using an old form.
Each of the above can slow the internal processes down while we follow up and this can lead to longer turnaround times for you. If you are in doubt, please visit the website or, if you can’t find the information you are looking for there, contact the team for advice.
As many of you will know, the length of time it takes to allocate verifiers and examiners is reliant upon them volunteering to undertake the assessments. Delays can be due to numerous reasons, including geographical location and discipline. In order to try to speed the process up, verifiers and examiners may be contacted by one of our team to see if they would be able to undertake an urgent assessment. We would obviously be very appreciative if, when contacted, you are able to help, but don’t worry if you can’t, we fully understand. If you are not currently a verifier/examiner but would be interested in becoming one, please visit the website for further details, including our training days, or contact [email protected].
The IBMS education offering will only be successful as long as there is a strong relationship between us and our service users and members and this relationship has never been better. We work hard to respond to your feedback and improve our services wherever we can and we hope that you will continue to help us to help you to be the best!