Health Education England Research Articles

Telehealth competencies for allied health professionals: A scoping review.

Telehealth has become one of the main methods of delivering allied health professional services world-wide, yet many professionals do not have sufficient training to deliver high-quality telehealth services. This review aims to identify what competencies allied health professionals require for effective telehealth service delivery. This scoping review used the Population Concept Context framework and searched the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsychInfo, Cochrane, EMBASE, Web of Science, PEDro, United Kingdom Health Forum, WHO, Health Education England, and all UK and Australian AHP professional bodies. A total of 37 articles were included out of 92,525 identified by the literature search. Competencies were related to two areas: (1) delivery of the telehealth consultation and (2) service management of telehealth consultations. The first area included the following competency themes: clinical reasoning, communication, effectively using technology, person-centred care, practice-based assessment and intervention knowledge/behaviour/skills, privacy, security, and patient safety, professionalism, and setting up the technical environment. The second area included the following competency themes: digital infrastructure, informing practice, and management. Although findings emphasised the importance of telehealth competencies, none have been implemented within education. One-third of the articles were from the discipline of psychology. This is the first scoping review to combine telehealth competencies reported across allied health disciplines. Although there were a vast range of competencies, they need implementation into teaching and learning to be practically useful. Most competencies were from psychology, but potentially applicable for other allied health professionals. A shared and adaptable standard for telehealth competencies would be useful to ensure high-quality practice across all allied health professionals.

Contextual recruitment in neuropsychology: A practice-based example of a novel approach and reflections on the process from an assistant psychologist

In 2021, a government initiative offered opportunities for aspiring clinical psychologists from underrepresented groups to gain paid clinical experience (Health Education England, 2021). This article describes how this initiative was used as an opportunity to integrate more contextual recruitment approaches for the recruitment of assistant psychologists (APs) in a neuropsychology department, in line with the strategic goals to increase diversity in the profession (British Psychological Society, 2023a). The strategies implemented to promote inclusivity are described in three separate phases of pre-application, peri-application, and onboarding. Reflections are provided in parallel from an aspiring clinical psychologist’s first-hand experience of the contextual recruitment process. The article aims to provide a template for other neuropsychology services to draw upon and develop in their recruitment and selection processes, and catalyse wider organisational change to promote a more diverse, representative psychology workforce.

A new route to practise sedation independently: integrated conscious sedation training in dental core training

Standards for the provision of and training in dental sedation in the UK are outlined by the Intercollegiate Advisory Committee for Sedation in Dentistry. They detail the necessary curriculum and training that dental practitioners must complete to be able to practise conscious sedation independently. When reviewing the training requirements, it was considered possible to incorporate this into a dental core training scheme where trainees were undertaking sedation as part of their clinical duties. A programme was established to train dental core trainees to undertake independent sedation practice, which was submitted to the local office of Health Education England for validation. This has resulted in a number of dental core trainees becoming certified to independently provide conscious sedation, contributing to their continual professional development.

74 Retention of Surgical Trainees in England

Abstract Background Surgical training is a competitive process attracting highly motivated clinicians. The National Health Service is currently facing long waiting lists and a workforce crisis yet there is a paucity of data regarding attrition of surgical trainees in England. This study aims to describe the attrition of surgical trainees from 2016-2021 and explore the relationship between specialty competition ratios and attrition rates. Method Data was obtained from Health Education England by freedom of information requests. Binary logistic regression analyses explored differences in attrition between surgical specialties. Spearman’s correlation was used to assess the relationship between competition ratios and attrition rates. Results From 2016 to 2021, 481 surgical trainees have left surgical training, with an average yearly attrition rate of 2.68%. This number varied considerably across specialties with Paediatric Surgery having the highest rate at 4.20% and Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery (T&O) the lowest at 1.52%. Compared to General Surgery, trainees in Neurosurgery, T&O and Plastic Surgery were significantly less likely to leave their respective programmes (OR 95% CI 0.53 (0.33 – 0.85) p = 0.009, 0.44 (0.34 – 0.58) p<0.001, 0.51 (0.33 – 0.78) p = 0.002, respectively). Attrition rates were inversely related to competition ratios, with more competitive specialties experiencing less attrition (ρ = - 0.302 (p = 0.078)). Conclusions These data highlight the increasing attrition of surgical trainees over recent years, with some specialties experiencing greater rates of attrition than others. Qualitative research and exit interviews are needed to ascertain the causal factors behind the attrition of surgical trainees to improve training and retention of this highly skilled workforce.

1209 Comparison of Competition in Recruitment into Surgical and Non-Surgical Specialties

Abstract Aim Despite notoriety for strenuous training with significant out of hours commitments, surgical specialties maintain a reputation for competitive entry with rigorous portfolio requirements. This study aimed to compare recruitment data between surgical and non-surgical specialties to examine whether surgical specialties are more competitive for entry. Method Recruitment data from 2022 published by Health Education England was collated. Specialties included were those recruiting for registrar level training post (ST3/ST4 depending on specialty). Fill rates and competition ratios for all surgical specialties (with an ST3 entry-point) were compared with all non-surgical specialties for which there was data. Statistical analysis was completed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results Median fill rates were 94.99% (IQR 23.81%) for non-surgical specialties and 100% (IQR 0%) for surgical specialties (p < 0.05). Median competition ratios were 3.17 (IQR 2.86) for non-surgical specialties and 3.92 (IQR 1.58) for surgical specialties (p < 0.05). Highest competition ratio overall was in immunology (46), with cardiothoracics having the highest surgical competitions ratio (23.5). Only genitourinary medicine and diagnostic neuropathology had a competition ratio <1. Conclusions All specialties at registrar level training had high fill rates and competition ratios, however this varied greatly between specialties perhaps due to lifestyle factors and exposure as students. Surgical sub-specialties demonstrated significantly higher competition ratios and fill rates, suggesting that despite discussion around quality of life and burnout in recent years, surgery continues to be an attractive career. It would be interesting to compare the rates of those leaving training posts with recruitment data.

917 Building Virtual Reality Into Global Surgical Training: An Innovative Approach Applied in Uganda

Abstract Aim Virtual Reality in Medicine and Surgery (VRiMS) is an academic working group devoted to creating technology-based solutions in post-graduate surgical and medical education. Based at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) with funding from Health Education England they use ‘Extended Reality’ including fully immersive Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) which overlays digital information onto real-time visualisation, and 360-degree video which offers a partially immersive experience. Benefits include reduced costs of delivering education, improving trainees’ experiences, and improving accessibility to surgical opportunities. Method VRiMS utilizes 360-degree video of cadaveric teaching streamed via low-tech cardboard headsets to deliver a novel teaching modality in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Uganda was the first location of a proof-of-concept course over 4 days delivered in 3 modalities: in-person - 10 delegates from East Africa provided scholarships (funded by Saving Faces) to travel to Brighton; 79 delegates attending virtually at a conference centre in Kampala; and over 1000 delegates globally attending remotely from a diversity of nations. Qualitative data was gathered for thematic analysis. Results Feedback was very positive, and barriers identified included requirements of a smart phone and sufficient internet. Ongoing links were developed with other LMIC units, with a recent conference run in Kenya. Conclusions VRiMS aims to ensure scientific validity in the projects being run, and analysis of the courses have given actionable insights into the experiences of surgical trainees both in the UK and in LMICs, showing that Extended Reality has enormous potential to benefit trainees worldwide.

Workforce diversity in specialist physicians: Implications of findings for religious affiliation in Anaesthesia & Intensive Care.

Minority ethnic identification between physician and patient can reduce communication and access barriers, improve physician-patient relationship, trust, and health outcomes. Religion influences health beliefs, behaviours, treatment decisions, and outcomes. Ethically contentious dilemmas in treatment decisions are often entangled with religious beliefs. They feature more in medical specialties such as Anaesthesia & Intensive Care, with issues including informed consent for surgery, organ donation, transplant, transfusion, and end-of-life decisions. We investigate diversity in religious affiliation in the UK medical workforce, using data from the General Medical Council (GMC) specialist register and Health Education England (HEE) trainee applications to medical specialties. We performed conservative Bonferroni corrections for multiple comparisons using Chi-squared tests, as well as normalised mutual-information scores. Robust associations that persisted on all sensitivity analyses are reported, investigating whether ethnicity or foreign primary medical qualification could explain the underlying association. The only significant and robust association in both GMC and HEE datasets affecting the same religious group and specialty was disproportionately fewer Anaesthesia & Intensive Care physicians with a religious affiliation of "Muslim", both as consultants (RR 0.57[0.47,0.7]) and trainee applicants (RR 0.27[0.19,0.38]. Associations were not explained by ethnicity or foreign training. We discuss the myriad of implications of the findings for multi-cultural societies. Lack of physician workforce diversity has far-reaching consequences, especially for specialties such as Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, where ethically contentious decisions could have a big impact. Religious beliefs and practices, or lack thereof, may have unmeasured influences on clinical decisions and on whether patients identify with physicians, which in turn can affect health outcomes. Examining an influencing variable such as religion in healthcare decisions should be prioritised, especially considering findings from the clinician-patient concordance literature. It is important to further explore potential historical and socio-cultural barriers to entry of training medics into under-represented specialties, such as Anaesthesia and Intensive Care.

Clinicians and AI use: where is the professional guidance?

With the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) to healthcare, there is also a need for professional guidance to support its use. New (2022) reports from National Health Service AI Lab...

Increasing capacity by moving away from one-to-one clinical supervision: using peer-assisted learning and a group model of student placements in community paediatric speech and language therapy to enable student-led service delivery.

Health Education England (HEE) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) have identified the need to increase placement capacity. Speech and language therapy is a shortage profession in the UK, so services need to consider innovative placement models to increase their placement offers without increasing the time burden on speech and language therapists (SLTs). To increase capacity for pre-registration practice-based learning by using peer-assisted learning (PAL) in a group model of student placement to enable student-led service delivery which provides high standards of clinical care and student experience and is an efficient use of SLT time. A paediatric speech and language therapy service hosted eight student speech and language therapists (SSLTs) for their final pre-registration placement. SSLTs completed pre- and post-placement confidence ratings for a range of clinical skills; SSLTs and SLTs rated how useful different types of support were, and education settings provided feedback about working with the SSLTs. The number of clinical sessions completed by the SSLTs and the percentage of outcomes achieved for children with speech, language and communication needs were calculated. SLTs completed time-trackers for placement-related activities. The impact of the placements was assessed using a tri-vector methodology consisting of: self-reporting by the student (using an evaluation form), feedback from the placement sites (schools) and analysis of targets set for individual children. SSLTs reported increased confidence in all clinical areas in their post-placement evaluation form. SLTs reported increased confidence in SSLTs working independently and an increase in the perceived benefit to the service for having SSLTs in comparison with the time invested in supporting SSLTs. SSLTs and SLTs found all types of support provided during the placement useful. Schools reported high levels of satisfaction for working with SSLTs. SSLTs completed more clinical sessions than an SLT would have been able to in the time SLTs invested in placement-related activities. Children achieved 60% of the targets set by SSLTs. This placement model increased the capacity for SSLT placements by using PAL in a group model of student placement to enable student-led service delivery. The model provided high standards of clinical care and student experience and was an efficient use of SLT time. Wider use of this placement model would increase placement capacity and could also address vacancies in services. What is already known on the subject SSLTs and SLTs are positive about the benefits of paired placements in comparison with individual placements. Other allied health professions have demonstrated that larger placements can be an effective way to support students and have used students to deliver student-led services. What this study adds to existing knowledge This paper is the first to look at whether PAL in a group model of student placements can be used in speech and language therapy to enable student-led service delivery which provides high standards of clinical care, maintains high standards of student experience and is an efficient use of SLT time. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? This paper demonstrates that PAL can be used effectively in a group model of student placements in a paediatric SLT service to increase student capacity and enable student-led service delivery. The proposed placement model provides a high-quality placement for SSLTs and the children they work with, and is also an efficient use of SLT time.

Consensus on occupational health competencies for UK first contact physiotherapists

BackgroundPatients at risk of preventable sickness absence frequently attend at primary care. First contact physiotherapists (FCP) may provide an optimal way of reducing this risk; however, there is significant variability in clinical practice, limited research directing best practice and this work and health role is traditionally seen as outside of the ‘therapeutic relationship’. If FCP’s training and development in this area is considered, FCP’s will be able to effectively conduct fitness for work and sickness absence certification within UK primary care settings. AimsThis study aimed to reach expert consensus for work-related competencies for FCP practice for patients at risk of preventable sickness absence. MethodsA modified Delphi technique involved a UK-wide FCP expert panel completing three rounds of an online questionnaire. The initial 30-competency questionnaire, based on two separate Nominal Group Techniques in a FCP and Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (ACPOHE) physiotherapist cohort and Health Education England’s published Roadmap to Practice, covered occupational health specific items (knowledge and skills) related to the topic. Consensus threshold was set a priori at 70% level of group agreement. Items not reaching consensus were modified and new items added based on themes from qualitative data from the open-ended free text questions present in each section. Items that reached values greater than or equal to 70% of agreement among experts were considered definitive for the competency items. Items between 51% and 69% of agreement were included for the next round and those items with less than or equal to 50% of agreement were considered unnecessary and were excluded. In the third round, the occupational health (OH) specific contents for primary care were classified according to the degree of consensus as follows: strong (≥70% of agreement), moderate (51–69% of agreement) and weak (50% of agreement) based on the maximum consensus reached. ResultsOf the 30 initial competencies, 20 (67%) reached a strong degree of consensus and 2 (7%) reached a moderate degree of consensus and 8 (27%) competencies were not recommended (≤50% of agreement). 20 OH specific competencies reached a priori consensus level of agreement to provide the final group list. ConclusionsThis paper provides an empirically derived list of OH competencies for FCP education in primary care ‘first point of care’ physiotherapy with a high level of expert agreement and high retention rate between rounds. Contribution of the paper•The role of certifying sickness absence and providing fitness for work advice within primary care settings has normally been conducted by General Practitioners, largely due to the legislative aspects that require a ‘Fit Note’.•FCPs may be ideally suited in ensuring that work is considered at an early stage to help support and prompt conversations about work.•Most individual’s health needs are addressed within Primary Care (first point of contact in the NHS).•There is a lack of empirical evidence on the competencies needed for the new ‘first point of contact role’ whereby FCPs manage undiagnosed and undifferentiated musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions.

The under-representation of minority ethnic groups in academic general practice.

General practice has a diverse training programme. It is majority female (57%) and more than half of all trainees are from an ethnic minority, according to the GMC workforce report 2022. However, we are not seeing the same representation of ethnic minorities in academic general practice, with 85.1% of GP professors being White. To determine if ethnic minorities are fairly represented in general practice academia, using the National Academic GP Training Conferences as a proxy. The programmes of the last five National Academic GP Training Conferences were searched and demographic information about the speakers was sought through online sources. Data were compared to demographic data available of non-academic GPs. A freedom of information request was made to Health Education England (HEE) to determine the demographic data of GP academic clinical fellows (ACF). Between the years of 2018 and 2022 there was an average of 40 speakers at the conference. The majority of speakers were White females, appearing an average of 20.2 times. Black females were the least represented, appearing an average of 0.4 times. Data available from HEE on the demographics of new ACFs for 2022 revealed that 27 (71%) of the 38 (excluding 5 who did not state their ethnicity) were White. With such a diverse training scheme, we need to have a better representation of ethnic minorities in GP academia. There is a clear problem recruiting or attracting people from ethnic minorities to an academic career and work needs to be done to understand and overcome those barriers.

GP education posts for research.

Almost every patient and every healthcare condition are seen within primary care, but research is not yet embedded in general practice in the same way it is in secondary care. There is no well-defined pathway for a career combining research delivery and active clinical general practice. In Wessex, we set out to design a career pathway for the clinically active GP that could sustain research involvement throughout their working lifetime and underpin research activity in primary care. A lead for education on research was established, in 2021, to approach relevant organisations for funding, accreditation, and design of educational posts for research delivery in primary care. Health Education England is currently looking to fund additional placements prior to completion of GP training. NIHR CRN Wessex also identified funding for posts after completion of training. The authors worked with the Southampton GP Education Unit who applied for and achieved the first national recognition of 15-month research placements to count towards completion of GP vocational training. A GP career pathway was designed starting with these posts and followed by GP Research fellow posts, which provide ongoing sessional research work at any stage of a clinical GP career. National recognition for education on research has been achieved and a career pathway for GPs to train in and then work in research has been established. This will help embed research expertise and interest within primary care. This should increase research delivery and hence a cycle of increased research funding for further similar posts.

Competencies of the UK nursing and midwifery workforce to mainstream genomics in the National Health Service: the ongoing gap between perceived importance and confidence in genomics.

The United Kingdom is recognised worldwide as a leader in genomics. The use of genomic technologies in the National Health Service (NHS) is expected to deliver faster and more accurate diagnoses, supporting personalized treatments to improve patient outcomes. The ambition of embedding genomic medicine in the diagnostic pathway requires involvement of the front-line clinical workforce, known as 'mainstreaming'. Nurses and midwives are the largest professionally qualified workforce in the National Health Service thus, it is anticipated that they will play key roles in mainstreaming. This study investigated the level of competence/confidence of practicing nurses and midwives to support mainstreaming and their perception of the importance of genomics in delivery of patient care. A literature review of genetics/genomics competency frameworks, semi structured interviews of lead nurses and stakeholders were conducted to identify relevant competencies needed for mainstreaming. These were then used to survey four cohorts of nurses (n = 153) across England in four consecutive years (2019-22). The confidence level of these professionals in all aspects of genomics was 2.07 ± 0.47 measured on a 5-point Likert scale (1"Low confidence"; 5 "High confidence"). Intriguingly, these professionals all appreciated the importance of genomics for their patient care (4.01 ± 0.06). Whilst the importance scores increased, the confidence scores declined at the time when major genomic transformation took place in the NHS (e.g.: launch of the Genomic Medicine Service, the National Genomic Test Directory). To bridge this gap, relevant genomic education can play key roles. However, nurses and midwives were found to be grossly underrepresented in formal genomic education courses offered by Health Education England Genomics Education Programme since 2014. This may result from the lack of direct applicability of the currently offered courses for their practice and role. Thematic analysis revealed that nurses and midwives wish to support their patients by providing more information on their condition, inheritance, and treatment options in combination with the use of relevant genetic counselling skills. This study identified easy to follow competencies for embedding genomics into routine clinical care. We propose a training programme that addresses the gap that nurses and midwives currently have, to enable them to harness genomic opportunities for patients and services.

Differential attainment in public health specialty training recruitment in the United Kingdom: an observational analysis of applicants from 2018 to 2020.

Differential attainment has been widely observed in United Kingdom (UK) medical training, with minority ethnicity being associated with reduced success in recruitment and progression through training. Specialty training in Public Health in the UK recruits candidates with medical as well as non-medical backgrounds. At the request of the UK Faculty of Public Health and Health Education England, we sought to examine whether differential attainment may or may not be occurring in the multi-stage recruitment process. We analysed 3years of national recruitment data into Public Health specialty training to identify whether demographic characteristics including age, sex, ethnicity and professional background were associated with successful recruitment. In total 2252 applications between 2018 and 2020 were analysed. Candidates who were older, Asian, black or from backgrounds other than medicine were significantly less likely to progress from the psychometric testing stage than the white British group. Fewer statistically significant differences were observed at the final stage of recruitment involving interviews, group work and a written task. The findings suggest that older candidates those from some ethnic minority backgrounds and those from backgrounds other than medicine are disadvantaged by the current recruitment process, with differential attainment associated with the psychometric testing stage.

Ultrasound simulation training to meet the 2021 Royal College of Radiologists' curriculum for radiology trainees: South East London experience

To enhance ultrasound teaching delivery to radiology trainees using a simulation course matched to the 2021 Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) curriculum. An ultrasound simulation training course was designed for specialty trainees (ST) 1 in radiology, which was based on the 2021 RCR curriculum and covered the top ultrasound training priorities. The course was piloted initially on two occasions in a 1-day format to the August 2021 and the March 2022 ST1 intake trainees. Based on the feedback, a comprehensive 4-day course was developed and delivered between October and December 2022 for the August 2022 ST1 intake, funded by Health Education England. The outcomes measured were subjective trainee feedback using numerical scores and free text. All King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust radiology ST1 trainees from the August 2021 to the August 2022 intake participated in ultrasound simulation training. The training matched the RCR curriculum and increased the trainees' confidence and competency in medical ultrasound. Ultrasound simulation training can be successfully delivered to ST1 trainees to match the 2021 RCR curriculum and enhance training in medical ultrasound for radiologists.

Where can advanced practice go next to support cardiac patients?

British Journal of Cardiac NursingVol. 18, No. 6 Guest EditorialWhere can advanced practice go next to support cardiac patients?Nicola Morrell-Scott, Joanna Lavery, Daniel Cooper, Misti Ollier, Susan Baker, Donal Deehan, Joanne Fisher, Sharon Flewitt, Jennifer Hughes, Ian Pierce-Hayes, Sarah Shardlow, Saiby Solomon, Mark DaltonNicola Morrell-ScottCorrespondence to: Nicola Morrell-Scott; E-mail Address: [email protected]Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Joanna LaveryLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Daniel CooperLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Misti OllierLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Susan BakerLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Donal DeehanLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Joanne FisherLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Sharon FlewittLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Jennifer HughesLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Ian Pierce-HayesLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Sarah ShardlowLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Saiby SolomonLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this author, Mark DaltonLiverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UKSearch for more papers by this authorNicola Morrell-Scott; Joanna Lavery; Daniel Cooper; Misti Ollier; Susan Baker; Donal Deehan; Joanne Fisher; Sharon Flewitt; Jennifer Hughes; Ian Pierce-Hayes; Sarah Shardlow; Saiby Solomon; Mark DaltonPublished Online:23 Jun 2023https://doi.org/10.12968/bjca.2023.0047AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Castledine G. The development of the role of the clinical nurse specialist in the UK. Br J Nurs. 2002;11(7):506–508. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2002.11.7.10154 Link, Google ScholarGeneral Medical Council. PA and AA regulation. 2023. https://www.gmc-uk.org/pa-and-aa-regulation-hub (accessed 18 June 2023) Google ScholarHealth Education England. Health Education England Advanced Practice: About us. 2023. https://advanced-practice.hee.nhs.uk/about-us/ (accessed 18 June 2023) Google ScholarSwaby K, Reynolds J, Mortimore G. The past, present and future of advanced nursing practice. Pract Nurs. 2022;33:150–154. https://doi.org/10.12968/pnur.2022.33.4.150 Link, Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 2 June 2023Volume 18Issue 6ISSN (online): 2052-2207 Metrics History Published online 23 June 2023 Published in print 2 June 2023 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

Water fluoridation: what, why, where and when

Dental UpdateVol. 50, No. 6 Guest EditorialWater fluoridation: what, why, where and whenBarry Cockcroft, Simon HearnshawBarry CockcroftChair of the British Fluoridation SocietySearch for more papers by this author, Simon Hearnshawemail: E-mail Address: [email protected]Training Programme Director Health Education England, Coordinator National Community Water Fluoridation NetworkSearch for more papers by this authorBarry Cockcroft; Simon HearnshawPublished Online:13 Jun 2023https://doi.org/10.12968/denu.2023.50.6.475AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Mullen J; European Association for Paediatric Dentistry. History of water fluoridation. Br Dent J 2005 Oct 8; 199(7 Suppl): 1–4. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4812863. PMID: 16215546. Medline, Google ScholarFrom the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/970380/Inequalities_in_oral_health_in_England.pdf (accessed May 2023). Google ScholarOffice for Health Disparities and Improvement. Hospital tooth extractions in 0 to 19 year olds 2022. 2023. Available at: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hospital-tooth-extractions-in-0-to-19-year-olds-2022/hospital-tooth-extractions-in-0-to-19-year-olds-2022#:~:text=For%20the%20financial%20year%202021%20to%202022%20there%20were%2042%2C180,extractions%20for%20this%20age%20group (accessed May 2023). Google ScholarStennett M, Tsakos G. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral health inequalities and access to oral healthcare in England. Br Dent J 2022; 232 :109–114. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-3718-0 Medline, Google ScholarCabinet Office. Advancing our health: prevention in the 2020s. Available at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/advancing-our-health-prevention-in-the-2020s/advancing-our-health-prevention-in-the-2020s-consultation-document (accessed May 2023). Google ScholarNHS England. Core20PLUS5 (adults) – an approach to reducing healthcare inequalities. Available at: www.england.nhs.uk/about/equality/equality-hub/national-healthcare-inequalities-improvement-programme/core20plus5/ (accessed May 2023). Google ScholarAustralian Government, National Health and Medical Research Council. Information Paper. Water fluoridation: dental and other human health outcomes. 2017. Available at: www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/reports/fluoridation-info-paper.pdf (accessed May 2023. Google ScholarNew Zealand Ministry of Health. Review of the benefits and costs of water fluoridation in New Zealand. 2016. Available at: www.health.govt.nz/publication/review-benefits-and-costs-water-fluoridation-new-zealand (accessed June 2023). Google ScholarGovernment of Canada. The state of community water fluoridation across Canada. 2022. Available at: www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/community-water-fluoridation-across-canada.html (accessed June 2023). Google ScholarOffice for Health Improvement and Disparities. Water fluoridation health monitoring report for England 2022. 2022. Available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-fluoridation-health-monitoring-report-for-england-2022 (accessed May 2023). Google ScholarPublic Health England. Water fluoridation. Health monitoring report for England 2018. Executive summary. 2018. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/692756/EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY_Water_Fluoridation_Health_monitoring_report_for_England_2018_DR.pdf (accessed May 2023). Google ScholarPublic Health England. Return on investment of oral health improvement programmes for 0–5 year olds. 2016. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/560973/ROI_oral_health_interventions.pdf (accessed May 2023). Google ScholarDuane B, Lyne A, Parle R, Ashley P. The environmental impact of community caries prevention – part 3: water fluoridation. Br Dent J 2022; 233: 303–307. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-022-4251-5 Medline, Google ScholarLevine RS. Childhood caries and hospital admissions in England: a reflection on preventive strategies. Br Dent J 2021; 230: 611–616. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-2945-8 Medline, Google ScholarNHS England. What are integrated care systems. Available at: www.england.nhs.uk/integratedcare/what-is-integrated-care/ (accessed May 2023). Google ScholarAssociation of Directors of Public Health. ADPH lead consensus on oral health. 2023 Available at: www.adph.org.uk/2023/03/adph-leads-consensus-on-child-oral-health/ (accessed May 2023). Google ScholarGodlee F, Smith J, Marcovitch H. Wakefield's article linking MMR vaccine and autism was fraudulent. BMJ 2011; 342: c7452. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.c7452 Medline, Google ScholarDepartment of Health and Social Care. Statement on water fluoridation from the UK Chief Medical Officers. 2021. Available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-fluoridation-statement-from-the-uk-chief-medical-officers/statement-on-water-fluoridation-from-the-uk-chief-medical-officers (accessed May 2023). Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 2 June 2023Volume 50Issue 6ISSN (print): 0305-5000ISSN (online): 2515-589X Metrics History Published online 13 June 2023 Published in print 2 June 2023 Information© MA Dentistry Media LimitedPDF download

Developing a feasible model for delivering quality hospital-based experiential learning for pharmacy undergraduate students funded by the healthcare education and training tariff

The Department of Health and Social Care (UK) provides funding to support clinical placements for healthcare students in England through their education and training tariff, which is administered by Health Education England (HEE). From September 2022, undergraduate pharmacy students became eligible for this funding to support their experiential learning. Development of quality, feasible experiential learning for pharmacy students within the context of the tariff proved challenging for both higher education institutions (HEIs) and hospital placement providers. Barriers to delivery were identified and addressed, such as no HEE published strategy for placement delivery, as well as the financial constraints of the tariff payments which made placements unattractive to providers. Pharmacy school inexperience of arranging longer placements and a substantial administrative burden added to the challenge. This report outlines the developmental process behind the experiential learning that is now delivered by Liverpool John Moores University and the local hospital providers.

Evaluating digital competencies for pharmacists.

Digital technologies are widely used in healthcare. In the UK, Health Education England developed a framework on digital capabilities so that healthcare professionals could determine their health literacy, evaluate their competencies and identify their learning needs. For pharmacists, specific digital capabilities were developed - Digital Capabilities for the Pharmacy Workforce. The aim of this study was to explore the views of pharmacists on digital competency in the workplace and evaluate the suitability of the Digital Capabilities Framework for the Pharmacy Workforce for use within clinical practice. A focus group of experienced pharmacists working within the NHS in the UK was conducted and thematic analysis of the content was undertaken. Seven pharmacy staff took part in an online focus group. They held senior positions across various London NHS hospitals and in community settings. From the content of the focus group, four themes were identified: Theme 1 - Use of digital technology, Theme 2 - Digital competency and training of the pharmacy workforce, Theme 3 - Assessment of digital competency and Theme 4 - Evaluation of the Digital Capabilities Framework for the Pharmacy Workforce. The pharmacists in this study suggested that the Digital Capabilities Framework could be used as a helpful assessment tool to ensure that all staff should have the appropriate digital skills and capabilities to fulfil their pharmacy role. With widespread use of digital technologies in practice, there is a need for formal digital technology training for pharmacists. The Digital Capabilities Framework has the potential to be utilised as an assessment tool to ensure pharmacy staff have the appropriate levels of digital skills to fulfil their clinical duties and make their service more efficient.

The Health Education England extended surgical teams pilot project

How the pilot project aims to support the surgical care team by developing an alternative workforce.