Homerton Hospital invests in online clinical skills training solution

Published: 24-Oct-2013

Elsevier Clinical Skills helps improve consistency of clinical practice and manage professional training

Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is providing its healthcare professionals with access to a new, interactive online training solution from Elsevier that enables staff to improve patient care and record their annual learning.

The trust has implemented the online training tool following a needs analysis carried out after the publication of the Francis Report. This recognised a demand for clinical skills teaching, ongoing competency assessment and a requirement for trustwide education programmes following any serious untoward incident.

Our organisation is becoming increasingly paperless, so moving training out of the classroom and onto the ward not only provides benefits for staff who need a more practical approach, but is also in line with our vision of becoming a more modern hospital

The solution provides more than 3,000 healthcare professionals – medical students, healthcare students, qualified staff and healthcare assistants – access to training modules covering an extensive range of practical and communication skills. Each skill module consists of an overview, equipment listing, demonstration video or animation, competency checklist and self-test option. Once completed, competency then requires sign-off in practice.

“Elsevier Clinical Skills not only supplements our existing training programme, but also creates an ethos whereby learning becomes something that happens continuously in the workplace,” said Val Dimmock, simulation and clinical skills facilitator at Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

“Whether staff are returning to work after a period of time, or simply need to refresh or add to their skills, they now have easily accessible, interactive, learning modules on the ward to meet immediate patient needs”.

In addition, clinical skills leads, trainers and ward managers have the ability to assign skills to specific user groups, track usage and analyse results. Meanwhile, the tool’s customisable functionality means that existing skills can be modified by administrators in line with specific training goals or to support staff and organisational needs such as CQUIN targets or local trust policies.

"Our organisation is becoming increasingly paperless, so moving training out of the classroom and onto the ward not only provides benefits for staff who need a more practical approach, but is also in line with our vision of becoming a more modern hospital,” Dimmock said.

“At an institutional level, this tool offers the opportunity to improve clinical governance through the ability to rollout trustwide education programs, while the ability to track training contributes to compliance and CQC requirements for both soft and hard intelligence and data.”

Elsevier Clinical Skills not only supplements our existing training programme, but also creates an ethos whereby learning becomes something that happens continuously in the workplace

The trust expects to see a significant return on investment as a result of a fewer face-to-face training hours and improved staff productivity.

“For patients, the benefit is simply safer, higher-quality care from a competent and confident workforce,” Dimmock said.

"Having previously worked in the NHS for 20 years, I am confident that Elsevier Clinical Skills is a unique product in supporting training delivery, outcome evaluation and compliance in a single, customisable solution,” said Clare Green, e-Product manager at Elsevier.

“Homerton has a reputation for high standards in education and learning and this partnership should enable their strategic objectives of high-quality service provision alongside continuous staff and organisational development."

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