ACUMEN is now looking for prospective authors for 2015. We hope to produce content focusing on the following topics;

Rash, hepatosplenomegaly, bruising, haematuria, head injury, polydipsia, polyuria, pruritus, abnormal Sensations, visual disturbance, weight loss, swallowing difficulties, medical problems in pregnancy, alcohol and substance dependence, aggressive / disturbed behaviour, delirium including substance abuse, dementia, the unconscious patient, abdominal pain, suicide/para-suicide, dysuria including sexual health, involuntary movement

If you are interested in producing content for ACUMEN under any of the above listed topics, then please send an email to mark.millar@e-lfh.org.uk stating your name, current role and the topics to which you wish to contribute. Expressions of interest should be received by us no later than Friday 19^th December 2014.

ACUMEN continues to expand its coverage of the acute medicine curriculum, and now has more that 275 scenarios and knowledge sessions available toy support your learning.

We have recently added a significant amount of new content covering topics such as medical problems in pregnancy, rash, acute confusion, poisoning, fever, oncology, interventional radiology, anaphylaxis, haematemisis & melaena, pericarditis, joint swelling, spontaneous bleeding and dyspepsia.

If you haven’t visited ACUMEN in a while, now is the time to take a look at what’s new and expand your knowledge of the many topics that are covered.

elfh scoops the Gold Award for the ‘Best elearning project – public sector’ at the 2014 elearning Age awards. The judges “were particularly impressed by the consistent approach to stakeholder engagement, the options for scaling, the variety of learning interventions, and the focus on evaluating the impact on behaviour and marketing. The programme meets different learning styles and abilities for a workforce that requires just-in-time learning and has limited flexibility to train without affecting 24/7 care. Working with thousands of clinical subject matter experts and myriad stakeholders, elfh is now recognised throughout the world for its vision, scope and skills, and its achievements in transforming UK healthcare training and patient care.”

The ICE-BLU project teaches the theoretical knowledge behind basic echo and lung ultrasound in the intensive care patient. The sessions are interactive and contain echocardiography videos to demonstrate teaching points. Teaching includes the physics of ultrasound, anatomy and basic views, left and right ventricular function, life-threatening pathologies, basic lung ultrasound and some of the limitations and pitfalls that may be encountered. The intended audience is intensive care and acute medicine doctors, anaesthetists and clinicians interested in assessment of the critically ill patient.

The sessions are mapped to the FICE curriculum but the whole module is suitable for anyone intending to undertake a hands-on training course or as a refresher of the knowledge previously acquired in this area. There is a final MCQ session, which will allow the production of a CPD certificate for those who have completed the eight sessions.

Thousands of people are affected by acute or chronic pain every year in the UK. For some this is short term due to illness or injury, for others chronic pain is a way of life. The National Pain Audit highlighted the inconsistencies with which pain is managed across primary and secondary care and, despite recent advances in both areas, patients are often referred too late for these services to make any significant difference.

e-PAIN is a multi-disciplinary programme designed to improve the early diagnosis and management of pain. The programme is aimed at all NHS healthcare professionals who do not specialise in pain medicine, but regularly encounter patients suffering from acute or chronic pain.

The e-PAIN programme has been developed by the Faculty of Pain Medicine in partnership with the British Pain Society and elearning for healthcare. Dr Douglas Justins, Clinical Lead for e-PAIN says: ‘This exciting and important project will help improve the recognition, assessment and safe treatment of unrelieved pain resulting in the significant improvement of patient care.’

For further information on the programme and how to access the elearning please visit http://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/pain-management/

HRH the Princess Royal recently launched the e-SAFE DVD at the Royal College of Anaesthetists. A collaboration between elfh, RCoA and the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, e-SAFE is a free educational DVD for anaesthesia providers in resource-limited countries. Focusing on the key topics of paediatrics, obstetrics, trauma, newborn care and critical care, the e-SAFE DVD includes sessions from elearning Anaesthesia, together with a bespoke e-library and instructional videos filmed in Nepal. The DVD can be widely reproduced and requires no internet access. Copies are available from www.rcoa.ac.uk/e-SAFE or by emailing e-safe@rcoa.ac.uk For further information, see http://www.rcoa.ac.uk/news-and-bulletin/rcoa-news-and-statements/rcoa-hosts-hrh-the-princess-royal-e-safe-safer-education

In April 2013, elfh moved to Health Education England (HEE). An exciting opportunity for elfh, HEE’s remit includes the delivery of  ‘Better Training, Better Care’, with Technology Enhanced Learning being seen as a key enabler of transformational change across the healthcare sector.