The State Of Medical Education And Practice In The UK: 2019

See link to report here from King's Fund blog

From dog-petting to desk yoga: do 'wellbeing weeks' make university less stressful?

Debt, academic pressure and social isolation are piling pressure on students, but what’s the best way of boosting mental health? Read newspaper article here

How education shapes young people’s mental health

Good mental health is vital in allowing young people to learn, build resilience and develop the skills they need to grow into well-rounded, healthy adults. But how can we ensure that schools, colleges and universities are nurturing environments which promote their wellbeing? Read Centre for Mental Health report here

When Abuse Involves Controlling a Partner’s Education

A new study offers a closer look at a lesser-known form of psychological abuse: educational sabotage. This type of abuse involves behaviors aimed at hindering or stopping another person’s educational efforts. Click here to read PsychCentral article

RCOT launches new standards for education providers

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) has updated its standards for pre-registration education, which are applicable to providers of occupational therapy courses across the UK. Read news item here

New GMC survey questions ask doctors about burnout

New GMC survey questions ask doctors about burnout


The General Medical Council (GMC) is to ask doctors about the impact of burnout and exhaustion on their medical education and training.


Read more at: https://www.gmc-uk.org/news/31459.asp

Academy of the Medical Royal Colleges / CoPMED statement on reflective practice

The Academy/CoPMED statement on reflective practice is now available to download from http://www.aomrc.org.uk/statements/academycopmed-statement-reflective-practice/

Hand surgery: Applications for Travelling Fellowship now open

Applications for Travelling Fellowship now open!
A new award has been created to facilitate trainee involvement in Global Hand Surgery and the work of the BSSH Overseas Committee. This will allow a trainee to accompany one of many BSSH overseas trips undertaken annually to observe and assist in clinics, theatre, and teaching delivery. Currently, there are ongoing projects in Malawi, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Sudan, Cambodia, Nepal, and Myanmar.
Find out more and get the expression of interest form at http://www.bssh.ac.uk/about/news/120/applications_for_travelling_fellowship_now_open

Health care education funding for postgraduate, dental hygiene and dental therapy students

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) -
From August 2018 new postgraduate pre-registration nursing, midwifery, allied health professional, and most new dental hygiene and dental therapy students will access loans from the Student Loans Company. New DHSC guidance explains the changes in further detail.
Access the guidance at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/healthcare-education-funding-for-postgraduate-and-dental-students/healthcare-education-funding-for-postgraduate-and-dental-students

Students wait up to four months for mental health support at UK universities

Students are having to wait for more than four months for counselling and mental health support in some universities, as suicide rates on campuses hit record levels, new figures show. See newspaper article here

Medical profession at ‘crunch point’, GMC report finds

The UK’s medical profession is at ‘a crunch point’ and will suffer increasing pressure over the next 20 years unless action is taken, the General Medical Council’s (GMC’s) State of Medical Education and Practice report warns today. Click here to read GMC report

Educating and campaigning for pressure ulcer prevention

Wounds UK 13 (3)

This article highlights the successful efforts of the Tissue Viability team at the University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) in reaching out to clinical staff in order to make progress in preventing pressure ulcers. The author describes how staff, with an interest in pressure ulcer prevention, are chosen to act as a link between the Tissue Viability Team and other clinical colleagues. After a short training, these link workers pass on brief 10-minute (power) training without having to leave their individual clinical setting, focussing on the key messages to: Assess, Surface, Keep moving, Incontinence and Nutrition (ASKIN). All of which helps to reduce in the incidence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers.

UHCW Research: Rachel Reece

NMC announces radical overhaul of nursing education

The consultation also sets out proposals for a new education framework for nursing and midwifery education. The proposed framework details a range of new outcome focused standards for education institutions and practice placement partners.

The NMC will be hosting online events, Twitter chats and workshops across the four countries of the UK where we will be discussing our plans and listening to views. Get involved and join the conversation on social media using #nurse2030.

The consultation on proposed pre-registration education standards for the future nurse runs from 13 June until 12 September.

See NHS Employers' response

'Sharp rise' in student mental illness tests universities

Almost five times as many students as 10 years ago have disclosed a mental health condition to their university, say researchers. 

In 2015-16, more than 15,000 UK-based first-year students disclosed mental health issues, Institute of Public Policy Research analysis suggests.

The 2006 figure was about 3,000 and the rise risks overwhelming university services, the IPPR says.
Universities UK said student mental health was "a strategic priority".

UUK says a new framework, published on Monday, will boost the mental health and wellbeing of students and staff and help embed good mental health across all university activities.

Improving MRCP PACES pass rates through the introduction of a regional multifaceted support framework

BMJ Open Qual 2017;6:e000017. doi: 10.1136/bmjoq-2017-000017 

Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills (PACES) constitutes the final part of the mandatory Royal College of Physicians exam series for progression to higher specialty training. Pass rates were lower for core medical trainees (CMTs) in Coventry and Warwickshire in comparison to other regions within the West Midlands and nationally. Our aim was to improve pass rates in the region through the introduction of a stimulating and supportive teaching framework, designed to enhance the quality and frequency of PACES teaching.

UHCW Research: Narasimha Murthy

Details of clinical placements released

Details have been released by Health Education England (HEE) regarding the arrangements for funding additional clinical placements in nursing, midwifery and allied health pre-registration education.

1,500 extra medical undergraduate places confirmed

DH has published the government response to the recent consultation on expanding undergraduate medical education.

The government will increase the number of student places at medical schools in England by 1,500.

See also RCP says extra medical school places not enough to address current workforce gaps

HCPC publishes Education annual report 2016

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) has published its Education annual report covering the period of 1 September 2015 to 31 August 2016. This report provides statistical information and analysis and is designed to highlight key trends and what caused them, in particular important developments in the education sector.

Improving digital literacy

The effective use of information and digital technologies is a key enabler in delivering health and social care now and in the future. 

Developed by Health Education England and the RCN, the publication outlines why digital capabilities are so important in the provision of the best care; why the right digital knowledge, skills, behaviours and attitudes are important and relevant to each and all of us working in health and care; and what those digital capabilities are.

2017-18 education & training placement tariffs: tariff guidance and prices from 1st April 2017

This document from the Department of Health sets out the national tariffs for healthcare education and training placements in the academic year 2017 to 2018; how the tariffs will be implemented; and in what circumstances the national tariffs may be varied and how to do this. The tariffs cover non-medical placements and medical undergraduate and postgraduate placements in secondary care.