HOSPITAL SCIENTISTS GO ONLINE TO

EXTEND THEIR SKILLS

Laboratory scientists, nurses and other health professionals across the UK are extending their expertise in key areas, such as DNA testing and Point of Care Testing, thanks to a web-based training programme developed by the University of Greenwich in collaboration with a consortium of hospitals and the Health Protection Agency.

The Biomedical Online Learning project has proved so successful in trials by health service employees that it is being introduced in hospitals across the country, and as far afield as the American Hospital in Dubai. Students are now enrolling for the next intake in March. Modules on offer¹ include the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer and Healthcare Associated Infection.

The project, worth more than £300,000, has been funded by six NHS Workforce Development Confederations, 17 NHS Trusts, the Health Protection Agency and the University of Greenwich.

Professor Patricia Harvey from the university’s School of Science set up the project. She explains: “We chose our first set of topics in areas where there is the greatest skills gap in hospital and public health laboratories. The training will help lab scientists keep pace with the increased demand from GPs for routine tests, as well as recent technological advances which enable more testing to be done at the bedside and more specialised tests to be carried out.

Dr. Ronnie Ray, Consultant Histopathologist and instructor on the Lung Disease module adds, “Clinically relevant modules such as those on lung, kidney and breast disease will be of particular value to nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, counsellors and medical students. They will also be of immense value to ‘resource-hungry’ international students who want state-of-the art knowledge in the clinical sciences.”

The scheme has the advantage of being accessible via web technology from the workplace or from home, with opportunities for collaboration with fellow students at other hospitals and frequent student-tutor contact.

The Manager of Great Ormond Street's Haematology Laboratory, Diana Muggleston, comments: "Two senior members of our team have completed the Quality System Management module to-date. Not only does online learning have many benefits for the student, but it's also very suited to staff in any busy and unpredictable environment such as a 'demand led' laboratory. The flexible structure means that the service can accommodate staff at all grades to follow Continuing Professional Development for a few hours when the workload allows."

Geoffrey Pinney, Laboratory Manager at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, adds: “I am very enthusiastic about the role of these courses in the future education and professional development of biomedical scientists and healthcare scientists in general.”

The modules have been developed by experts in each specialisation. The diagnosis of breast cancer was written by the regional co-ordinator for breast cancer screening pathology for the whole of the South East, and the Healthcare Associated Infection unit was developed by specialists from the Health Protection Agency and Addenbrookes Hospital

The project follows a major re-organisation of pathology and other laboratory services in the NHS and responds to the government’s new educational framework which seeks to make undergraduates and graduates fit for purpose by embedding professional practice with academic qualifications and awarding vocational qualifications to help career progression.

The modules fulfil a need for Continuing Professional Development, which will soon become mandatory for state registered laboratory staff, as well as accreditation towards Masters level qualifications in biomedical sciences.  The units have been accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science for 100 credits each.

Further information is available on the website: www.gre.ac.uk/biomed including a demonstration course, or from Cathy Ronan, email: c.e.ronan@gre.ac.uk

Note 1 – Modules currently on offer:

Point of Care Testing

Quality Systems Management

Analysis of Nucleic Acids

Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

Healthcare Associated Infection

Renal Disease

Lung Disease