Healthcare professionals, carers and anyone interested in increasing their understanding of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) can access a new elearning resource.

This e-learning programme has been developed in collaboration with patient groups and the Department of Health and Social Care and aims to enhance knowledge and support for individuals living with ME/CFS.

Session one aims to provide an overview suitable for all clinicians, MDT, service users, families, support providers.

The programme also aims to:

• highlight the variability in patient experiences and the impact on individuals and their families
• encourage the adoption of a multidisciplinary approach to patient care
• highlight the importance of pacing, symptom management, and supportive networks

There will be three sessions released, each with a different focus.

The first session, Introduction to ME/CFS is accessible to all and is an introduction to the complex nature of ME/CFS. The session explains what ME/CFS is, discusses the potential causes and diagnostic challenges and provides an overview of possible management strategies.

The second and third sessions will be published soon and are aimed at primary and secondary care clinicians. They focus on the management of ME/CFS, treatment recommendations and pharmacological solutions.

It is estimated that over 250,000 people in the UK are living with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Despite these figures, there are still many misconceptions around ME/CFS, and the patients suffer from prolonged diagnosis and stigma.

For more information and to access the sessions, please visit the programme page.

Maternity professionals in health and care can now access new modules of the Patient Safety Syllabus training elearning sessions on the elfh portal which have been tailored to support the specific needs of their profession. 

The training supports thinking differently about what patient safety means and making healthcare even safer with patient safety case studies covering good practice, human factors, risk, systems thinking and safety culture. There is a certificate of completion for each case study. 

Content for both Levels 1 and 2 of the syllabus training have been updated and include improvements to usability, interactivity, and navigation and a certificate of completion and five sector specific patient safety case studies in total for Mental Health, Maternity, Healthcare mangers and administrative staff care, Primary Care and Acute Care. 

All updates to the content and functionality have been made in response to feedback from users. There is also a self-assessment for the Access to Practice module which learners must pass to move on to the sector-specific sessions and a Certificate of completion for each case study area. 

Patient safety is a collective responsibility and a key priority for health and care. This training is available to anyone NHS and Health care staff and supports the NHS Patient Safety Strategy, emphasising a proactive approach to identifying risks to safe care.  

Maternity session content covers: 

• Maternity care in the NHS  
• How safe is maternity care  
• Where does it go wrong for babies, mothers and families in maternity care?  
• Systems thinking in maternity care  
• Risk management in maternity care  
• Human factors in maternity care  
• Safety culture in maternity care – get a conversation started  

More information about the Patient Safety Syllabus training and how to access to the elearning modules can be found here:  

https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/patient-safety-syllabus-training/ 

A new elearning programme on managing neonatal airways has now been added to the NHS Learning Hub. 

Successful management of the neonatal airway is an essential skill during resuscitation and respiratory deterioration of babies. Managing the airway in this age group is particularly challenging due to several factors including the size and immaturity of babies’ airways and respiratory systems, plus the availability of appropriately sized airway equipment. 

This first module, developed by NHS England elearning for healthcare and the British Association of Perinatal Medicine, explores the importance of premedication in preparation for neonatal intubation and considers the effects and potential side-effects of the drugs used for this purpose.  

It takes about 20-30 minutes to complete and is aimed primarily at paediatric and neonatal medical staff and neonatal pharmacists.  

For more information and to access the programme, please visit the programme page.  

ENDS 

Welcome to your May 2024 update from the Foundation elearning programme.   

Throughout your career you will work in a team and sometimes that teamwork will cross traditional boundaries. It’s worth taking time to consider effective ways of working with other teams across secondary and primary care. The sessions highlighted in this month’s update cover the basics of cross boundary working: 

• Primary, Secondary Care Interface  
• Effective Referrals to Other Clinical Teams  
• Good Handover Practice   
• Primary, Secondary Care Interface  
• Ward and Therapy Services   
• Ward and Social Services   
• Effective Referrals to Other Clinical Teams   
• Team Working and Patient Safety 

The sessions cover key areas in your curriculum on:   

FPC 2: Clinical Prioritisation  

FPC 3: Holistic Planning 

FPC 4: Communication and Care 

FPC5: Continuity of Care 

FPC6: Sharing the Vision 

Notes: 

The Foundation elearning programme has been developed specifically for Foundation doctors by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in partnership with NHS England elearning for healthcare (NHSE elfh), and is approved by the UK Foundation Programme (UKFPO). 

The online training has a range of other sessions that might help you. Please log in to the programme page to view more.  

You can sign on to the elearning with your login supplied by elearning for healthcare at any time during your foundation training. 

HORUS and TURAS have deep links to elearning for healthcare sessions from the Foundation Curriculum and are therefore accessible to all trainees, making it quicker and easier to access the appropriate session linked to the curriculum. 

NHS England’s Technology Enhanced Learning team has launched the final elearning modules of Becoming Simulation Faculty (BSF), a national blended learning programme to support the professional development of simulation educators, practitioners, technicians, and managers in health and care.    

BSF is a national approach to simulation faculty development, enhancing professional capabilities and supporting continual professional development of multi-disciplinary teams. It has been co-designed and authored in collaboration with experts across the UK simulation community.  

The programme enables delivery of key targets in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan by supporting educators to increase their impact, confidence and capabilities when designing, developing and delivering modern methods in simulation. This includes using immersive learning technologies and blended learning approaches which are critical to underpin growth in education capacity and ensuring equitable access to learning and enhancing simulation and immersive learning practices at scale.   

It also aligns with the Educator Workforce Strategy, and the National Safety Syllabus, supporting hybrid education and workforce development, and high-quality, safe care delivery.   

The programme is running a core course (6 theory-based online elearning topics and a face-to-face workshop) throughout 2024, and from 2025 will include advanced learning opportunities.  

For more information go to: https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/becoming-simulation-faculty/