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In a rapidly changing healthcare environment, we need a robust evidence base to inform effective education and training. This study aimed to examine factors perceived to determine career progression in clinical education research in the UK. Six online focus groups were conducted, with 35 participants from a range of medical, dental, nursing, and allied health professions who identified as aspiring or early career clinical education researchers. Transcripts underwent thematic analysis. Two themes and associated subthemes were constructed to illustrate perceived factors impacting on career development: (1) A cultural challenge from clinical norms. Challenges included differences between the epistemological assumptions of biomedical and clinical research, and the underlying philosophy of education research, which is more closely aligned with the knowledge generation of the social sciences. This led to difficulty communicating the impact of education research to patient care. There were also blurred boundaries between education delivery and research, with the latter lacking a clearly defined group identity. (2) Structures, systems and relationships for career progression. Practical considerations included time and funding (or lack thereof), the opportunity to undertake formal training, networking and role models. This research highlights a number of systemic barriers and facilitators to careers in clinical education research and offers targets of intervention to enable a sustainable academic workforce in clinical education research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To be able to demonstrate the multiple impacts of research educational initiatives to the organisation funding them • To appreciate why changes in culture are needed in the health professions to support an evidence-base to better serve our populations • To understand how to build research capacity and show the benefit of investing in training opportunities Background: There is increasing emphasis in the UK on developing a nurse, midwife and allied health professional (NMAHP) workforce that conducts research. Training for clinical academic careers is provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). However, the low number of successful applicants suggested there were barriers to achieving this. The Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Led Research (CNMR) launched a fellowship programme in 2016 to backfill two days a week of NMAHPs' time for up to a year, to give them time to make competitive applications to the NIHR. Aim: To report a study evaluating the CNMR fellowship programme. Discussion: The making Visible the ImpaCT Of Research (VICTOR) tool (Cooke et al 2019) was developed to describe the organisational impact of research. The 2016-17 CNMR fellows completed VICTOR and their responses were analysed using a framework approach. The analysis found the main benefits of participating in the programme were protected time for research, opportunities to develop collaborations, increasing intra- and inter-professional awareness of NMAHPs' research, peer-reviewed publications, and conference presentations. Challenges included a lack of support from line managers, limited value placed on NMAHPs' research and failure to backfill posts. Conclusion: There were some challenges with the fellowship programme, but all recipients found it to be a positive experience and undertook significant scholarly activity. Implications for practice: A contractual agreement must be established to foster committed partnerships between higher education institutions (HEIs) and the NHS. HEIs and the NHS should conduct frank discussions of the challenges encountered in fellowship programmes. Positive initiatives and outcomes in tertiary education and clinical settings should be shared to improve fellows' experiences and enhance partnerships between HEIs and the NHS. Job descriptions should include time allocation to review fellowship candidates' applications regardless of outcome. The showcasing of research successes and the benefits of NMAHP research must evolve to secure organisational 'buy in', which is the precursor to widening access to clinical academic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caroline Tweedie, Specialist Breast Care Nurse (Caroline.Tweedie@nhs.net), Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, winner of the Silver Award in the Oncology Nurse of the Year category of the BJN Awards 2023 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Medical Imaging & Radiation Sciences is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Since widening access to higher education became a United Kingdom (UK) governmental priority in the 1990's, occupational therapy has made little progress in diversifying student and workforce populations that mirror increasingly diverse service user populations. This research aims to, for the first time, map entry criteria across UK pre-registration programmes, while considering fair access and exploring who might be missing at the point of enquiry and entry. Method: A cross-sectional quantitative content analysis was conducted of all UK university websites, identifying programme type, academic, professional and alternative entry criteria for 2021/2022. Findings: Five entry routes via undergraduate and post-graduate programmes (n = 73) offer limited part-time opportunities (n = 11). Visible academic entry criteria appear weighted towards 'traditional' qualifications, while assessment of professional skills at application and selection is explicit for over 75% of programmes. 86% (n = 63) utilise interviews at selection, with 33% (n = 24) not publicly acknowledging alternative access routes into the profession. Conclusion: If the profession is to avoid continued stagnation in diversity amongst student populations and successfully reflect service user diversity in the workforce, it is essential UK universities increase parity across academic entry criteria, ensure the visibility of acceptable skills for alternative access and substantially improve flexibility for part-time study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical audit ensures healthcare is delivered in a standardised and evidence based manner. Detection of fetal anomalies is important to ensure expectant parents have opportunity to make informed decisions about their pregnancy. Audit of detection rates of fetal anomalies can highlight practice, which does not meet national standards, pinpointing gaps in staff education and training to improve this. This paper describes the implementation of a first time obstetric audit of fetal anomaly detection rates within an imaging department positioned in the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dizziness is common in patients with acute traumatic brain injury (aTBI). However, patients are not always managed by the ward team but instead are referred to a visiting vestibular neurology team or referred for outpatient follow-up. We aimed to ascertain whether training trauma ward therapists to manage a common form of post-traumatic dizziness (Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo [BPPV]) reduced referrals to a visiting vestibular neurology team. Referrals of patients with aTBI with complaints of dizziness to the visiting vestibular neurology team were audited from the Major Trauma Centre at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK. Ward therapists subsequently received training on management of BPPV. Referrals to the vestibular neurology service were re-audited. Therapist confidence in assessing and treating BPPV was also assessed pre and post-training. Pre-training, referral rate to the visiting vestibular neurology service was eight patients per month. Following training, referrals to the vestibular neurology service reduced by 35%. Therapist confidence improved significantly following training. Training trauma ward therapists to manage BPPV reduced referrals to a visiting vestibular neurology service. Further research is necessary to assess implications for service and patient level parameters, such as length of stay and time to discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main indicators of higher education (HE) internationalization in the field of awarding degrees are the international development of disciplines and interdisciplinary sciences, new educational and learning methods, new and updated curricula, and their correct ways of sharing. This study aimed to examine the system of awarding degrees in health HE of Iran and the United Kingdom. This descriptive-comparative study focused on the field of medical sciences and its related disciplines. The vital information about the variables was collected by visiting the official websites of the UK universities and related or joint organizations. The related information to the Kerman University of Medical Sciences as a sample of Iran medical universities was obtained from the university's Farabar system. All data extraction steps were performed manually. There were differences in the mechanism of setting up a new discipline and the process of students' admission, diversity of degrees' titles and curriculums, stability of disciplines over the time, creativity in creating competition between different disciplines, the reason for establishing a discipline and the requirements for certification and awarding of degrees in health sciences disciplines in Iran and the United Kingdom were described. Propelling of medical education in the health sciences area towards standard awarding degree systems can be responsible for the requirements of internationalization of higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical examination skills are vital for the accurate assessment and diagnosis of patients. These skills also allow clinicians to differentiate between pathology requiring investigation or treatment and normal anatomy or physiology. This allows clinicians to avoid unnecessary tests and to be able to reassure a patient that their symptoms do not require treatment. However, an incomplete or faulty clinical examination can lead to missed diagnoses and patient harm. Although comprehensive clinical examination skills training is provided in the undergraduate curriculum of medical schools in the UK, little is known in relation to the teaching provided for nurses and allied health professions working in advanced practice roles. This survey sought to explore this phenomenon and uncover clinicians' experiences with regard to being taught a selection of specific clinical examination skills in theory and in practice, those skills being the core system examinations (respiratory, cardiovascular and peripheral vascular, abdominal, central and peripheral nervous systems) and a number of focused examinations (digital rectal and examination, thyroid, breast and genital examination for males and females). The findings demonstrate a concerning variability of educational experiences and a lack of educational coverage of some of the basic clinical examination skills in both theoretical and practical terms. These findings provide an insight into areas of future higher education curricula development as well as workplace mentoring and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Medical Imaging & Radiation Sciences is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Medical Imaging & Radiation Sciences is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: The virtual environment for radiotherapy training (VERT) helps students to gain technical skills and understanding of 3D anatomy and dosimetry. It has potential as a tool for treatment plan evaluation, although little formal evidence currently supports this. Aim: This paper reports findings from a plan evaluation workshop that facilitated comparison of VERT plan evaluation tools with those provided by conventional treatment planning software (TPS). Method: Students on a pre-registration Post-Graduate Diploma in Radiotherapy worked in small groups evaluating lung plans using both VERT and Eclipse TPS tools. All students were invited to provide ratings concerning how helpful each modality was for a range of evaluation parameters and preferences for use. Results: Most students (11 out of 14) found the session useful and expressed a desire to use VERT in future plan evaluation. The TPS was perceived to be more helpful with constraint-based evaluation while VERT was more helpful with evaluating plans for clinical set-up and delivery (p < 0·001). Conclusion: Student therapeutic radiographers found VERT to be helpful as a plan evaluation tool alongside standard TPS tools, in particular for clinical set-up and delivery aspects of planning. Future work is ongoing to identify the specific impact of VERT as a plan evaluation tool for both students and qualified planners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient education in and, the prevention and management of cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) is an important aspect of supportive management and long-term health of cancer patients and is advised in multiple guidelines. 1,2 However, there is evidence across western health systems that the provision of quality service remains an unmet need.3,4 Allied health professionals (AHPs) such as pharmacists and nurses already play a crucial role in the management of multiple aspects of the cancer journey. There are exemplar CAT services provided by teams in which the patient-facing individual is an AHP5 but these services have developed impromptu and are based on the expediency of local resources with no underpinning training. Objectives: To develop educational materials for AHPs and cancer patients which will help fill the current gap in knowledge and provide competency for the management of CAT. Method: The educational materials in this project have been developed by members of three award-winning and pioneering CAT services across the UK. From September 2021 to July 2022, during monthly meetings, members (i) identified the required competencies and training needs of AHPs, (ii) formulated aims/objectives for the training programme and, (iii) established where the information provided to patients could be improved. Existing material (ISTH Academy, Pancreatic Cancer Action’s video, online risk scores) was reviewed and recommendations, links and access were incorporated accordingly. The patient leaflet has been reviewed by an NIHR INVOLVE patient and public involvement group. Appropriate permissions/approvals have been granted to present this information. The project was supported by an unrestricted, hands-off education grant from Bayer. Discussion: The materials comprise (1) a training booklet for AHPs which includes current guidelines for CAT management, (2) a risk assessment scores pack with recommendations on which scores to use for different types of CAT, (3) a case studies booklet with questions and accompanying suggested answers, (4) an educational video that includes scenarios commonly encountered in CAT clinics and, (5) a patient leaflet which is a wealth of easy-to-read information. Much is still to be done to improve the education of patients and the competencies of HCPs in CAT. The materials developed in this project were vetted by AHPs who had already developed exemplary services run by pharmacists and nurses (Figure 1). The main criteria for resource assessment and incorporation were to be evidence-based, guideline compatible and practicable. This programme provides teachable and transferable CAT training for AHPs that should result in a standardised and assessable competency. Conclusion: This is a comprehensive patient and AHP-focused educational programme that may facilitate service improvement in CAT services. The resource is shareable, easily adaptable and can be adopted by other NHS Trusts across the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Simulation is increasingly used throughout medicine. Within ultrasound, simulators are more established for learning transvaginal and interventional procedures. The use of modern high-fidelity transabdominal simulators is increasing, particularly in centres with large trainee numbers. There is no current literature on the value of these simulators in gaining competence in abdominal ultrasound. The aim was to investigate the impact of a new ultrasound curriculum, incorporating transabdominal simulators into the first year of training in a UK radiology academy. Methods The simulator group included 13 trainees. The preceding cohort of 15 trainees was the control group. After 10 months, a clinical assessment was performed to assess whether the new curriculum resulted in improved ultrasound skills. Questionnaires were designed to explore the acceptability of simulation training and whether it had any impact on confidence levels. Results Trainees who had received simulator-enriched training scored higher in an objective clinical ultrasound assessment, which was statistically significant (p = 0.0463). End confidence scores for obtaining diagnostic images and demonstrating pathology were also higher in the simulation group. All trainees stated that transabdominal simulator training was useful in early training. Conclusions This initial study shows that embedded into a curriculum, transabdominal ultrasound simulators are an acceptable training method that can result in improved ultrasound skills and higher confidence levels. Using simulators early in training could allow trainees to master the basics, improve their confidence, enabling them to get more educational value from clinical ultrasound experience while reducing the impact of training on service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Director of Infection Prevention and Control (DIPC) role was introduced into the UK in 2003 to address the need for effective leadership within Infection Prevention (IP). The role was embedded in English legislation in 2008. In one Independent healthcare organisation (with 31 acute hospitals spread geographically across the UK), the DIPC role is held by the hospital matron (known as Director of Nursing in the NHS), who influence resource allocation and ensure infection prevention is prioritised. A knowledge gap in microbiology, standard precautions and infection prevention regulatory requirements was identified and as there was no educational provision for this role, an accredited programme was developed. Twenty-five matrons completed the DIPC programme. Aims: Evaluate the impact of a DIPC educational programme on the delivery of IP services. Methodology: A post-course qualitative retrospective survey using open-ended questions was used to collect data from DIPCs who had completed the programme. Inductive thematic and content analysis methods were used to identify key themes from survey responses. Results: Out of 20 DIPCs, 16 completed the survey. Key findings included improvements in knowledge related to microbiology, IP and regulatory requirements of the DIPC role. DIPCs reported changes to service delivery including appointment of six IP nurses, improved surveillance processes, reduced infections and improved cleanliness standards. This small study demonstrates the impact of an educational programme for DIPCs who felt more empowered to manage the IP services effectively, resulting in improved patient safety through reduced infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE. A bibliometric analysis was completed of highly cited occupational therapy literature and authors published from 1991 to 2014 and accessible in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-- Expanded) and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) databases. METHOD. Data were obtained from the SCI--Expanded and SSCI. Articles referenced >100 times were categorized as highly cited articles (HCA). RESULTS. Of 6,486 articles found, 31 were categorized as HCA. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy published the largest number of HCA (n = 8; 26%). The 31 HCA were distributed across seven countries: United States (20 articles), Canada (3), United Kingdom (3), Australia (2), the Netherlands (1), New Zealand (1), and Sweden (1). The three authors with the highest Y-index were S. J. Page, F. Clark, and W. Dunn. CONCLUSION. A latency period of 4 to 5 yr post-publication appears to be needed for a journal article to gain citations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the lived experiences of racial bias for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students undertaking an undergraduate or post-graduate degree in nursing, midwifery and allied health courses in the United Kingdom. Previous research indicates that students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups have fewer opportunities to succeed at university and this has brought about a race awarding gap in their degree attainment. The reasons for this awarding gap are complex and multi-factorial and it is crucial that the lived experiences of racial bias are explored from the student perspective. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was adopted to elicit individual and collective experiences in the practice environment, a mandatory component of the student's degree. A focus group and individual semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from sixteen participants and analysed using thematic analysis Three encompassing themes were identified which included a sense of not belonging , trauma impact on mental health and understanding covert and overt racism. Participants reported incidences of racism and appeared to be traumatised by their experiences within practice and the university. They also reported poor mental health and well-being as shared experiences and a lack of confidence in the university and practice to mitigate racial issues. Meaningful action must be taken by universities and practice partners to advance racial inequality initiatives by having robust anti-racism action plans and processes. These should be co-created with students and staff to reduce the race awarding gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The capacity to produce and understand quantitative research has been a major preoccupation for social work in recent years, with major funded initiatives for knowledge and skills development taking place, supported by key social work institutions. This has taken place against a general background of concern a bout social work's research capacity to underpin evidence-based practice. This is a complex issue both because, on the one hand, quantitative literacy itself presents challenges, sometimes at a basic level, while, on the other, advanced statistical understanding can be required to carry out research involving, and make sense of, quantitative data. Despite these initiatives, however, very little evidence exists a bout the nature, range and scope of quantitative research in social work. The research reported here draws on findings from a detailed analysis of 1,490 articles published over ten years in major British-based, but international in scope, refereed journals. The findings paint a complex picture on the scale, scope, complexity focus and demands presented by quantitative research findings. On the basis of these findings, issues discussed include the learning needs of the profession, professional/academic culture, 'reader demands' and research capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the readiness of gerontological social work in the UK for meeting the challenges of an ageing society by investigating the focus on work with older people in social work education and the scope of gerontological social work research. The discussion draws on findings from two exploratory studies: a survey of qualifying master's programmes in England and a survey of the content relating to older people over a six-year period in four leading UK social work journals. The evidence from master's programmes suggests widespread neglect of ageing in teaching content and practice learning. Social work journals present a more nuanced picture. Older people emerge within coverage of generic policy issues for adults, such as personalisation and safeguarding, and there is good evidence of the complexity of need in late life. However, there is little attention to effective social work interventions, with an increasingly diverse older population, or to the quality of gerontological social work education. The case is made for infusing content on older people throughout the social work curriculum, for extending practice learning opportunities in social work with older people and for increasing the volume and reporting of gerontological social work research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To assess current ultrasound scanning protocol in outpatients with suspected deep vein thrombosis (DVT), in particular whether practitioners routinely scanned calf veins. Methods: A standard questionnaire was sent out via post to all radiology departments in the United Kingdom (UK) and via the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS) website in 2010. Responses were entered into Access® and database queries were run to analyse responses. Free-text comments were taken into account in our analysis. Results: A total of 277 responses (50 through the BMUS website) were received (46% postal response rate). Of them, six were excluded as these were incomplete. Thus, 97 (36%) were consultants, 13 (5%) accredited vascular scientists (AVSs), 153 (56%) sonographers and six (2%) higher radiology trainees. All AVSs scanned the whole limb and used all three modalities of compression, colour and pulse wave Dopplers. Practice across other healthcare professionals varied. In all, 120/176 (68%) of other health-care professionals trained in vascular ultrasound scanned the whole limb routinely and 82/120 of these used all three scanning modalities. Trained sonographers scanned the whole limb significantly more than the medical cohort (P = 0.017). The use of all three modalities varied significantly between AVS and the non-AVS trained professionals (P = 0.0194), the trained medical cohort of consultants and sonographers (P = 0.0001), and trained and non-trained respondents (P = 0.0113). The commonly chosen reason for not scanning the whole limb was that it had poor sensitivity for calf vein DVTs. Free-text reasons for not scanning the whole limb routinely included local protocols prohibiting it. Conclusions: There is a discrepancy between the scanning protocols of medically trained and allied health-care professionals, trained or otherwise in vascular ultrasound, and between these groups and AVSs. This is likely to have an impact on clinical governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medication non-adherence has far-reaching consequences. Before utilising specialized interventions to target this problem, there is a need to improve the detection, understanding and management of non-adherence in routine clinical practice. This study explored whether a 1-day workshop targeting attitudes, skills and knowledge about medication adherence could modify any aspect of clinical practice of mental health professionals. Five workshops were held with 134 participants. Baseline general knowledge in all professional groups was poor and interventions used not ideal. Post-workshop knowledge improved significantly. At 3-month follow-up, participants reported identifying more new cases of non-adherence and use of more effective strategies. Lack of time and support were identified as persisting barriers to change. It is possible to raise awareness, teach a model and simple techniques to effect change in clinical practice. This brief training was well received, although ongoing support is required to increase interventions for as well as identification of individuals at risk of medication non-adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The top 100 most cited papers in social work journals in 2000–09 were recently listed in a British Journal of Social Work paper by Hodge, Lacasse and Benson. The citations of these 100 papers in a two-year period (2007–09) were identified and a further manual web-based search was conducted to identify some key features of the citing sources. Descriptive statistics are presented on language of publication and national location of citing authors, as well as type of citing source. Bivariate analysis was conducted of the national location of cited journal by national location of citing first author. This analysis shows a strong tendency towards within-country citation in both the UK and USA, providing some evidence of intellectual chauvinism amongst social work academics and, more specifically, evidence of a Great Atlantic Divide. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose Student radiographers must possess certain abilities to progress in their training; these can be assessed in various ways. Bandura's social cognitive theory identifies self-efficacy as a key psychological construct with regard to how people adapt to environments where new skills are developed. Use of this construct is common in health care literature but little has been noted within radiographic literature. The authors sought to develop a self-efficacy scale for student radiographers. Method The scale was developed following a standard format. An initial pool of 80 items was generated and psychometric analysis was used to reduce this to 68 items. Radiography students drawn from 7 universities were participants (N=198) in validating the scale. Results The psychometric properties of the scale were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA), factor analysis and item analysis. ANOVA demonstrated an acceptable level of known group validity: first-year, second-year, and third-year students all scored significantly differently (P=.035) from one another. Factor analysis identified the most significant factor as confidence in image appraisal. The scale was refined using item and factor analysis to produce the final 25-item scale. Conclusion This is the first published domain-specific self-efficacy scale validated specifically for student radiographers. In its current format it may have pedagogical utility. The authors currently are extending the work to add to the scale's validity and embedding it into student training to assess its predictive value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our intention in the following article is to bring forth connections with spiritual resources in teaching and supervision. We construct this focus within a collaborative learning approach. Methods and techniques used include curiosity, reflexivity inquiry, deconstruction, outsider witness practices and re-authoring conversations. We evaluate how the dialogue has transformed our abilities to relate to spirituality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the context of postgraduate education, the majority of curriculum design for allied health care practitioners has stemmed from assumptions that learning is a one-dimensional concept with definitive starting and completion points, undertaken by the individual in pursuit of knowledge. This knowledge is perceived as being consumed by the learner and that it requires a formalized process of teaching in order to separate it from the rest of everyday activity and experience. This article charts the strategic development of a new and innovative approach to needs-led educational provision within multidisciplinary health care in higher education through the deconstruction of traditional approaches to teaching and learning. It also presents the case for merging the theoretical underpinnings of situated learning with the concept of problem-based learning, in which knowledge is created rather than consumed within the context of a new and innovative program that seeks to build capacity in and between professional disciplines across the health care arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unique, accredited, multi-professional education programme for junior staff in professions allied to medicine (PAMs) developed by Durham and Teesside Education and Training Consortium in collaboration with local trusts and social services is described. Designed to ensure competence to practice in line with clinical governance, it aims to strengthen multiprofessional working practice through a greater understanding of roles and of the way the national health service (NHS) works. It enables staff to analyse their own learning needs and to employ self-directed learning skills for lifelong learning. Using problem-based learning, it uses real clinical cases as triggers to promote critical evaluation and reasoning and the development of multi-professional care pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a critical review of nationally available data to explore the crisis of clinical placements for speech and language therapy (SLT) students in Great Britain. Relevant professional and educational policy; Commonly cited reasons for not offering student placement; Effect of the model of education adopted in Great Britain.

Discusses a qualitative study undertaken to gain deeper insight into the nature of learning opportunities afforded to speech and language therapy (SLT) students on clinical placement in Great Britain. Aim of the study to illuminate aspects of placement learning environment that have a positive or negative influence; Interviews with two groups of students, five clinical tutors and five National Health Service-based clinical supervisors; Concept of risk.

Discusses an audit that examined current clinical placements of students in Great Britain including the physical setting, level of supervision provided and the responsibilities described by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. Models of service delivery change; Discussion of the results in the context of their implications for the educational establishment and their clinical teaching setting.

Simple Summary: Cervical cancer prevention is presently undergoing a thorough reformation due to introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV)-testing and vaccines in primary prevention. The screening program, however, is more than a single test or preventive intervention—the possible lesion has to be found, located and treated. Colposcopy plays a major role in this management. Literature dealing with training and learning, especially with colposcopy, is extremely scarce. The aim of the European Federation of Colposcopy, EFC, is to improve the education and training in colposcopy, e.g., by organizing colposcopy courses. The aim of our prospective interventional study was to pilot this intensive participant activating EFC Basic Colposcopy Course on the short- and long-term learning of colposcopy-related knowledge, image recognition and the diagnostic confidence. High-quality colposcopy is essential in cervical cancer prevention. We performed a multicentre prospective interventional pilot-study, evaluating the effect of a six-hour case-based colposcopy course on short- and long-term learning of colposcopy-related knowledge, diagnostic accuracy levels and confidence. We recruited 213 colposcopists participating in three European Federation of Colposcopy (EFC) basic colposcopy courses (Finland, Norway, UK). The study consisted of three tests with identical content performed before, after and 2 months after the course, including ten colposcopic images, ten patient cases and scales for marking confidence in the answers. Outcome measures where mean scores in correct case-management, diagnosis (including high-grade lesion recognition), transformation-zone recognition and confidence in answers. Results were compared between the three tests and stratified according to experience. Mean test scores improved after the course for all participants. The increase was highest for beginners. Confidence in answers improved and the number of colposcopists showing high confidence with low scores decreased. A structured case-based course improves skills and confidence especially for inexperienced colposcopists; however, trainers should be aware of the risk of overconfidence. To complement theoretical training, further hands-on training including high-quality feedback is recommended. Conclusions drawn from long-term learning are limited due to the low participation in the follow-up test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emeritus Professor Alan Glasper, from the University of Southampton, discusses government strategies to ensure a future healthcare workforce that is sustainable and does not rely on overseas recruitment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dentists who have studied dentistry outside the EU are required to take the Overseas Registration Examination (ORE) in order to become registered with the General Dental Council and practise as a dentist in the UK. Some are turning to dental nursing while they wait. Emma Male reports [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]