MEDEV

School of Medical Sciences Education Development

Introduction

E-learning can deliver knowledge based programmes, clinical case study programmes and diagnostic support systems which offer learners in the NHS access to educational material when and how they want to use it.

Learning opportunities are also now available to support development in some of the professional skills which are required to deliver good patient care. http://www.HealthcareSkills.nhs.uk is a new web site developed by the London Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education Deanery in conjunction with Ash/Binary Vision.

The Website http://www.HealthcareSkills.nhs.uk supports 4 learning programmes in directed at a multiprofessional audience in communication skills, team-working, patient safety and ethics and law. A senior steering group acted as an editorial board, shaping the objectives, developing and reviewing the content and ensuring overall coherence to the educational material. The programmes are available to all healthcare professionals at no cost.

Each programme is introduced by its own learning objectives. Navigation is simple, moving the learner from section to section, with book-marking enabling return when required. There are videos, real-time voting enabling the learner to share views on a range of issues with other learners, interactive formative learning opportunities through multiple choice questions and pre and post learning assessments, as well as reflective notes to support a learning portfolio.

The key components of each programme are indicated below:

http://www.communicationskills.nhs.uk

This programme (pictured above) covers the essential issues leading to an understanding how good communication contributes to effective care patient care.

It explores, for example, how diversity can potentially create misunderstandings which can be addressed by the healthcare professional, how risk can best be communicated to patients/carers, the techniques of good listening and responsiveness, the necessity for open questions in exploring issues with patients and carers and the potential for patient-professional partnerships in producing better health outcomes.

http://www.teamworking.nhs.uk

Written by Professor Jenny Firth-Cozens, a leading UK expert in team-working and patient safety, this programme explores the key elements how teams function in delivering healthcare.

It describes the characteristics of a good healthcare team, encourages reflection about the learner's own participation in teams and demonstrates the contribution to patient care and safety made by effective team working.

Both Communication Skills and Teams and Leadership have now been procured by the NHSU for adaptation, piloting and dissemination to support learning in the Foundation Programmes of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC).

http://www.ethicsandlaw.nhs.uk

This programme (pictured above) aims to provide an understanding of the principles of medical ethics and to create an awareness in the learner of the difference between moral judgments and those made in a court of law.

It encourages healthcare professional to explore issues around human and patient rights in relation to professional behaviour.

http://www.patientsafety.nhs.uk

Supported by input from the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) and the NHS Litigation Authority, this programme explores key aspects of patient safety.

It considers how safe organisational systems should be developed to support the healthcare professionals working within them, and the responsibility of healthcare professionals, particularly within the context of clinical governance.

The HealthcareSkills site also has three other programmes that support healthcare professionals in their important responsibilities in educating the healthcare workforce:

http://www.appraisal-skills.nhs.uk

This site explores with learners how to participate in the formative process of educational appraisal which underpins effective learning.

http://www.clinicalteaching.nhs.uk

This site takes the learner through key elements in understanding issues in clinical education issues such as curriculum development and assessment as well as exploring appropriate teaching methods in a range of clinical settings.

http://www.liberatinglearning.nhs.uk

This is an interactive programme which supports learning in the context of the European Working Time Directive and was developed from the document written by the Conference of Postgraduate Deans' Ad hoc Working Group.

The educational programmes on www.healthcareskills.nhs.uk have been designed to support the professional development of clinicians working in the NHS.

It is free for all users and seeks to address important educational needs of healthcare professionals.