This month’s edition includes details of our Becoming Simulation Faculty programme, the Preparing for your Future as a Nurse programme and an award for our IV Therapy Passport programme.
Read the full issue of October’s TEL News.
Archive for the ‘Latest news articles’ Category
New programme about children and young people’s mental health now available
Health Education England elearning for healthcare (HEE elfh) has worked with Health Education England, NHS England and other key partners to develop a new online training platform to help staff caring for children and young people with mental health needs, autism, or learning disability in acute settings.
Children and Young People with Mental Health Needs, Autism or Learning Disability: Online resources for staff in acute settings has been developed in response to feedback from the system. This learning will help support staff to manage increased demand for children and young people’s mental health services, especially in acute settings.
The programme is aimed at staff working in acute care hospital settings, such as the emergency department or paediatric wards, who would like to enhance their confidence and skills to care for children and young people (CYP) with these specific needs.
The aim is to improve knowledge, confidence and skills to safely care for children and young people with mental health needs, autism, or learning disability.
For more information and to access the resource, please visit the Children and Young People with Mental Health Needs, Autism or Learning Disability programme page.
Updates made to the COVID-19 vaccination elearning programme
Since the COVID-19 vaccination programme went live, the content of the different sessions which make up this programme has been updated and amended as more information about the vaccines and the vaccine programme has become available.
For those who have already completed this elearning programme, these updates are detailed below, starting with the most recent.
Users may need to verify their completion of the updated COVID-19 Vaccines training for either Moderna or Pfizer. Please note that the completion date shown on their issued certificate, must be on or after the following dates to ensure that the latest version of the learning has been completed:
The original COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna session and assessment were recently updated and re-titled Moderna COVID-19 vaccines (Spikevax Original and Spikevax Bivalent). This updated learning was made live on the HEE elfh hub on the 26 August 2022.
The original COVID-19 Vaccine Pfizer BioNTech Comirnaty 30 micrograms dose session and assessment were recently updated and re-titled Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccines (Comirnaty 30 Concentrate and Comirnaty Bivalent). This updated learning was made live on the HEE elfh on the 23 September 2022.
23 September 2022
Pfizer COVID vaccine Comirnaty 30 Concentrate and Comirnaty Bivalent
Updates to include:
- the autumn 2022 booster programme
- latest changes to the Green Book chapter 14a
- information about Comirnaty bivalent vaccine and its use
- current weblinks and nomenclature
- emphasis on and assess understanding of product differences
9 September 2022
Core Knowledge for COVID-19 Vaccinators
Updated to include:
- the autumn 2022 booster programme and latest changes to the Green Book chapter 14a
- currently supplied vaccines including bivalent and withdrawal of Astra Zeneca
- addition of information about off-label use
- current weblinks and nomenclature
- assessment questions and answers aligned to updated session content
2 September 2022
COVID-19 Vaccine Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty 10 micrograms/dose)
Updated to include:
- the autumn 2022 booster programme (children aged 5 – 11 in risk groups)
- latest changes to the Green Book chapter 14a and shelf-life section in the product’s SPC
- addition of information about off-label use
- current weblinks and nomenclature
- assessment answers expanded
26 August 2022
COVID-19 vaccine Moderna session and assessment revised and updated to include:
- Autumn 2022 booster programme
- The recently approved Spikevax Bivalent vaccine
- Clearly identify the differences between Spikevax Original and Spikevax Bivalent, including their licensing, indications and doses
The HEE elfh session for Moderna has been updated to include training for Spikevax Bivalent. Sites are reminded that staff will need to complete the updated training. Staff who accessed or completed the training before 4pm on Friday, 26 August 2022, are advised to revisit the session to ensure that they have completed the correct assessment. This is to make sure that you are confident that you have understood the similarities and differences between the two vaccines, and to be able to practice safely when using them. Your employer may ask to see proof of this.
19 January 2022
All sessions updated to include
- revisions following republication of the Green Book COVID-19 Chapter (11/01/22 version)
17 January 2022
New knowledge and assessment sessions for the Pfizer BioNTech Comirnaty 10 micrograms/dose COVID-19 vaccine added
30 December 2021
All sessions updated to include
- revisions following republication of the Green Book COVID-19 Chapter (24/12/21 version)
- the JCVI recommendations (22/12/21) of booster doses for:
- all young people aged 16 to 17 years
- children and young people aged 12 to 15 who are in a clinical risk group or who are a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed
- children and young people aged 12 to 17 years who are severely immunocompromised and who have had a third primary dose
- the JCVI recommendations (22/12/21) that children aged 5 to11 years in a clinical risk group or who are a household contact of someone who is immunosuppressed should be offered COVID-19 vaccination with a lower dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine
17 December 2021
All sessions updated to include
- revisions following republication of the Green Book COVID-19 Chapter (14/12/21 version)
- updates to pregnancy sections following recommendation from JCVI that pregnancy should added to the clinical high risk groups
- temporary suspension of the requirement for a 15 minute observation period following administration of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines
2 December 2021
All sessions updated to include
- revisions following republication of the Green Book COVID-19 Chapter (30/11/21 version)
- extension of recommendation for booster doses to include all 18- to 39-year-olds
- change to a 3 month minimum interval between primary course and booster doses
- recommendation for booster dose from 3 months after third primary dose for those who were severely immunosuppressed at the time of their first or second primary vaccine
- recommendation for 2nd primary dose for those aged 12 to 15 years
26 November 2021
All sessions updated to include
- revisions following republication of the Green Book COVID-19 Chapter (15/11/21 version)
- extension of recommendation for booster doses to include 40–49-year-olds
- recommendations for 2nd primary dose for those aged 16 and 17 years
23 September 2021
All sessions updated to include
- revisions following republication of the Green Book COVID-19 Chapter (16.9.21 version): notably changes to management of potential contraindications
- recommendations for booster doses
- recommendations for 3rd primary dose for those immunosuppressed at the time of their first or second vaccine
- vaccination recommendations for all 12 to 17 year olds
5 August 2021
All sessions updated to include
- revisions following republication of the Green Book COVID-19 Chapter
- Guillain-Barré syndrome
- vaccination recommendations for 12 to 17 year olds
Core session updated to include consent for children and young people
Pfizer BioNTech vaccine session revised to detail transition from use of this vaccine under Regulation 174 to use under Conditional Marketing Authorisation
8 July 2021
Pfizer BioNTech, AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccine sessions all updated to include
- the latest vaccine effectiveness data
- reference to JCVI interim advice about a booster vaccination programme
- myocarditis and pericarditis reports following the Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines
- capillary leak syndrome reports following AstraZeneca vaccine
- revised advice on co-administration and giving COVID-19 vaccine when other vaccines have recently been given
- advice about mixed vaccine schedules
- JCVI advice about the recommended interval of 8 to 12 weeks between vaccine doses
- more information about vaccine induced thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome following AstraZeneca vaccine added and updated contraindications and precautions for this vaccine
- some minor wording changes to all sessions following recent updates to the Green Book COVID-19 chapter and new weblinks added
11 May 2021
AstraZeneca session updated to include
- updated advice from the JCVI that an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine should be offered to healthy adults aged under 40 years, not only to healthy adults under 30 years as previously recommended in April
21 April 2021
All sessions updated to include
- new JCVI advice on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women
AstraZeneca session more substantially updated to include
- new advice about very rare blood clotting and unusual bleeding condition following vaccination with AstraZeneca vaccine and the subsequent new contraindications and precautions to this vaccine, including changes to age group recommendations
Some minor wording changes to all sessions following recent updates to the Green Book COVID-19 chapter and new weblinks and images added.
8 April 2021
New knowledge and assessment sessions for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine added
16 February 2021
Core Knowledge, Pfizer BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccine sessions all updated to include
- advice on managing allergic history and allergies after first dose
- updated information and clarification of advice on vaccination in pregnancy
as stated in revised Green Book COVID-19 chapter
29 January 2021
Pfizer BioNTech vaccine session:
- Wording revised to say 6 doses obtainable from vial in response to a change in the Information for Healthcare Professionals on Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine document
AstraZeneca vaccine session:
- Change to state multidose vial should be clearly labelled with the date and time of expiry rather than from when it was first punctured
Some minor wording changes in Core Knowledge, Pfizer BioNTech and AstraZeneca sessions in response to user feedback or nationally published guidance.
20 January 2021
Core Knowledge session:
- Section on Long COVID added,
- Section on laboratory and pathology staff and social care staff eligibility for vaccination updated to be in line with Green Book COVID-19 chapter
- Change to wording around immunosuppression to reflect change to Green Book COVID-19 chapter about this
Pfizer BioNTech vaccine session:
- Waste disposal section updated in response to expert feedback
- Addition of ordering via Foundry system by PCN designated sites in response to request to add this from Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS)
- Change to wording of description of appearance of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine prior to dilution following change about this in the Pfizer Reg174 HCP Information document
- Addition of link and reference to the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine healthcare professional’s training and information materials (cvdvaccine.co.uk/)
AstraZeneca vaccine session:
- Waste disposal section updated in response to expert feedback
- Minor wording changes to “how does the vaccine work” in response to user feedback for clarity
- Addition of ordering via Foundry system by PCN designated sites in response to request to add this from Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS)
- Addition of link and reference to the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine healthcare professional’s training and information materials (cvdvaccine.co.uk/)
8 January 2021
- Advice about obtaining an additional dose from COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca vials added to AstraZeneca session
- More information about recommended interval between first and second dose added to both AstraZeneca and Pfizer BioNTech sessions
- More information added to section about information to provide to recipients following vaccination in both AstraZeneca and Pfizer BioNTech sessions.
31 December 2020
- New knowledge and assessment sessions on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine added
- Core Knowledge and Pfizer BioNTech vaccine sessions updated to include: revised advice from JCVI on pregnancy and breastfeeding, updated statement from JCVI about scheduling of vaccine doses (between 4 and 12 weeks),
- Pfizer BioNTech session updated to include: advice on obtaining a 6th dose from a vial, and allergy precautions as stated in updated Green Book COVID-19 chapter and updated Information for Healthcare Professionals on Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine document
December 2020
- Core Knowledge session updated with advice about not giving COVID-19 vaccine to pregnant or breastfeeding women after the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer BioNTech) was authorised for use
- New MHRA guidance added on not giving COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 to those with a history of anaphylaxis to a vaccine, medicine or food or a previous dose of the vaccine and addition of 15 minute minimum observation period following vaccination
- Some amendments to the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 session storage and reconstitution sections following republication of updated Information for Healthcare Professionals on Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine document
New MFDS exam pathway supports dental candidates preparing for autumn assessments
As dental candidates prepare to take their Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (MFDS) exams this autumn, a tailored elearning pathway has been made available to support their training.
The MFDS exam learning pathway within our Dentistry elearning programme features shorter and more focussed sessions, covering the whole MFDS syllabus. It makes leaning more manageable for trainees who have multiple demands on their time.
The sessions have been created by the Faculty of Dental Surgery of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, in collaboration with Health Education England elearning for healthcare.
The focussed learning covers all areas of the MFDS syllabus, including communication skills, clinical competence and clinical reasoning, and will prepare candidates for the professional skills assessments within the exams.
Candidates can expect to enhance their knowledge in the following areas:
- Human diseases and medical and dental emergencies
- Anxiety and pain control in dentistry
- Periodontal disease and management
- Hard and soft tissue surgery
- Surgical and non-surgical management of head and neck disease
- Management of the developing dentition
- Restoration of teeth
- Replacement of teeth
- Professionalism
- Management and leadership
Fatima Bulbulia, Head of Education at the Faculty of Dental Surgery within The Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: “For everybody getting ready to take the MFDS exams this autumn, I would like to wish you the best of luck.
“Lots of you will be pushing to find time to prepare yourself for the assessments. This new resource is tailored to the exams and is broken down into digestible sessions, to allow you to fit the learning into your busy schedules.
“I know the exams are the final step towards becoming a member of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, and I hope that this is the beginning of an exciting and rewarding career for you. We hope that by providing training that is focussed and accessible, we are supporting you to gain the knowledge you need to achieve your aspirations.”
The MFDS Part 1 exams take place online on 25 October 2022, and the Part 2 exams take place at The Royal College of Surgeons of England from the 8 to 11 November 2022.
Accessing the programme:
The MFDS examination learning pathway can be accessed via our Dentistry elearning programme.
If you would like to leave feedback on the programme, please visit the evaluation form.
New Robotic Process Automation elearning programme now available
Health Education England elearning for healthcare (HEE elfh) has worked in partnership with NHS Transformation Directorate to develop the first NHS elearning programme on Robotic Process Automation (RPA).
RPA is software that automates routine and mundane tasks. In recent years the NHS has increased its adoption of RPA to improve the efficiency and productivity of clinical and non-clinical admin processes.
The new RPA elearning programme has been designed to support NHS health and social care organisations to develop, procure and implement this technology in-house and create a skilled workforce capable of overseeing RPA enabled processes.
The programme is aimed at senior leaders and wider NHS users who want to build confidence in taking RPA forward in the workplace.
This elearning programme is comprised of 5 modules, which build on each other. The first 2 modules, Introduction to Robotic Process Automation and Getting started with RPA, are available to health and care professionals with no prior knowledge of digital technologies. The latter modules build in complexity and are suited to learners with more specialist knowledge of RPA.
For more information and to access the programme, please visit the Robotic Process Automation programme.
New VR 360 app helps nursing staff consider a career in adult prison healthcare settings
The Simulation and Immersive Technologies team within Health Education England Technology Enhanced Learning (HEE TEL) has developed a new, immersive virtual reality (VR) 360 degree app for nursing colleagues who may be interested in a healthcare career within adult prison settings.
Developed in partnership with HEE National nursing and midwifery directorate and NHS England’s National Health and Justice team, the downloadable app features interviews with several healthcare professionals including a mental health nurse, a healthcare officer and a GP.
Each interview provides an overview of delivering care to the prison population and outlines the benefits and challenges of working in this environment.
The app also features scenarios based on real-life practitioner/patient interactions and invites learners to choose the most appropriate action related to issues around prescription of medication and referrals to hospital.
A user guide to help learners navigate through the various elements of the app plus standalone elearning sessions that include the scenarios from the app and workbook/reflective questions are also available. All resources can be accessed on the elearning for healthcare Hub.
On completion, learners should have a good, rounded view of working within prison healthcare settings.
For more information and to access the resource, please visit the Nursing in Adult Prison Healthcare Settings programme page. Learners can also download the app to view on a virtual reality headset or on a phone with a cardboard headset.
New elearning on asthma in children and young people now available
The new programme webpage for children and young people (CYP) with asthma, developed in partnership with NHS England and NHS Improvement, complements the training and capability outputs of the national CYP asthma bundle of care, and aims to help deliver on the aspiration that any professional, both health and non-healthcare, who may look after a child with asthma, is trained and skilled to do so.
It hosts the National CYP Asthma Capability Framework, which outlines nationally agreed standards in CYP asthma training for different professions, as well as nationally accredited courses to support learners in meeting these standards.
The framework divides the competencies into 5 ‘tiers’ based on professionals’ involvement in the child’s life from tier 1 which is aimed at non-healthcare professionals, through to tier 5 which is aimed at specialist healthcare professionals caring for complex asthmatics. There are accredited elearning courses for tiers 1 to 4, which have been aligned to the relevant competencies. Tiers 1,2 and 3 are available free of charge.
The programmes aim to improve the diagnosis and management of asthma as a long-term condition for children, young people and adults.
For more information and to access the new children and young people sessions, please visit the Children and Young People Asthma programme page.
The adult sessions’ content has undergone some minor updates to align with current British Thoracic Society (BTS), Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines and now includes content about inhalers and the environment. It is aimed at all healthcare professionals who are in contact with children or adults with asthma. This includes GPs, practice nurses, pharmacists, community nurses, school nurses, ambulance staff and emergency department staff.
The updated adult sessions can be found on the Adult Asthma programme page.
New session on health inequalities now added to All Our Health programme
Health Education England elearning for healthcare (HEE elfh) has worked with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) to develop a new elearning session on health inequalities for the All Our Health programme.
Health inequalities are defined as avoidable differences in health outcomes between groups or populations, such as differences in how long we live, or the age at which we get preventable diseases or health conditions. Similarly, health disparities are described as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage” (Healthy People, 2020).
In England, there is a 19-year gap in healthy life expectancy between the most and least affluent areas of the country, with people in the most deprived neighbourhoods, certain ethnic minority and inclusion health groups getting multiple long term health conditions 10 to 15 years earlier than the least deprived communities, spending more years in ill health and dying sooner.
The All Our Health session highlights that everyone can help to address health disparities and health inequalities in the course of their everyday work or role. It has been created to help health and care professionals, practitioners, commissioners, senior leaders, managers, and voluntary and community sector workers to:
- gain a broad understanding of what is meant by ‘health inequalities’
- understand the causes of health inequalities
- implement the evidence-based actions and interventions that can be incorporated into everyday practice to address these issues
The session also signposts learners to other sources of useful information such as HEE elfh’s Social Prescribing elearning programme, the Institute for Health Equity and Gov’s Health Inclusion guidance.
It complements the 29 existing sessions within the All Our Health programme which covers a range of public health topics including physical activity, mental health, alcohol, and child and adult obesity. All Our Health also features 5 interactive townscape sessions where learners can click on various buildings, such as the GP surgery and school, to access support on topics such as breastfeeding and child oral health.
To access the latest resource, please select the Health Disparities and Health Inequalities session on the All Our Health programme page.
Bite-sized mouth care guidance now available for all healthcare staff
Healthcare staff can now access up-to-date guidance on a range of mouth care topics with 6 new bite-sized video training sessions.
The sessions are part of our Mouth Care Matters elearning programme and are particularly relevant to any staff caring for people who have difficulty looking after their own oral health.
The sessions offer up-to-date guidance on a range of mouth care topics, including:
- Oral and general health
- Brushing teeth
- Denture care
- Dry mouth
- Managing resistance to mouth care
- Mouth care at the end of life
Each video is accompanied by a series of randomised questions so that users can test their knowledge of each topic.
The sessions have been produced by Health Education England elearning for healthcare (HEE elfh) and the HEE South West Mouth Care Matters Team, in collaboration with the Oral Health Foundation and North Bristol NHS Trust.
Mouth Care Matters is a Heath Education England initiative to improve the oral health of those receiving care, whether this be in a hospital, care home or in their own home. Good mouth care contributes to good oral health, and is an important part of general health and wellbeing. It allows people to eat, speak and socialise without discomfort or embarrassment.
The new bite-sized training videos aim to enable healthcare staff to enhance their knowledge in a manageable way, allowing you to better care for people who need support with their oral health.
A personalised certificate of achievement can be downloaded once all 6 sessions have been fully completed.
Accessing the elearning
The bite-sized video training sessions can be accessed via the Mouth Care Matters programme page.
elfh is a NHS England programme in partnership with the NHS and professional bodies