Building the genetic counsellor profession in the United Kingdom: Two decades of growth and development

摘要

The United Kingdom (UK) is comprised of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the current population is approximately 62 million (Office for National Statistics 2012). Healthcare, including genetic services and appropriate testing, is provided to all citizens free at the point of service, via a National Health Service (NHS) funded through taxation (National Health Service Choices 2012). All UK citizens have a named general practitioner who is responsible for their overall healthcare. Individuals and families in every part of the UK have access to genetic services. These are staffed by multi-disciplinary teams comprising mainly medical geneticists and genetic counsellors; the regional NHS genetics laboratories are either integrated with or very closely aligned to the clinical centres. Within the regional genetics centres, a comprehensive service is provided that includes prenatal genetics, and general, metabolic and cancer genetics relating to both paediatric and adult care (Department of Health 2010). Specialist training exists for medical geneticists, genetic counsellors and laboratory geneticists. Many clients are referred to the genetic service by a primary care practitioner (doctor, nurse or midwife working in a primary care setting, such as a community clinic), although in some cases another specialist will refer.