Perhaps the most common danger to the public is the promise of easy cures or simplistic diagnosis, leading to psychological damage, financial loss and deterioration in the patient's condition. Patients and their carers need to know that a registered speech and language therapist will offer a service based on accredited training and professional guidelines, and that complaints will be appropriately dealt with. The national health service in Great Britain employs an estimated 2,500 clinical scientists, of whom 1,700 are voluntarily registered. All entrants to basic training require a first degree in an approved science subject. Following the satisfactory completion of designated vocational training, graduates are eligible to join the voluntary register held by the Registration Council for Scientists in Health Care.
Clinical scientists work with a broad range of patient groups, from before birth to extreme old age.
Most clinical conditions directly or indirectly involve the services of clinical scientists, who provide advice directly to doctors, and apply scientific principles to the delivery and development of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and services. It follows that clinical scientists have a great capacity to do harm if they lack or misapply the skills required of them. Protection of the public can be achieved only if high standards of education, training and conduct are applied to ensure that clinical scientists are competent to practise.