Sexual Health
Menopause
Gynaecological Cancers
Cervical Cytology
Immunisations
Ear Irrigation
Wound Care
Cervical Cytology
Dermatology Skin Club
Non-medical Prescribing
Becoming an Advanced Practitioners
Other Resources for Advanced Clinical Practitioners(ACP)
Advanced Practice Week
Social Media and the internet
Leadership & Management Training
Primary Care Training Centre(Bradford)
BNSSG Training Hub
Avon Local Medical Committee(ALMC)
University of the West of England (UWE)
Education for Health
Foot Risk Awareness and Management Education training
Cambridge Diabetes Education Programme
Diabetes & Nutrition Services (DANS) in BNSSG
E-learning for Health Asthma Online Module
Primary Care Respiratory Society
Primary Care Cardiovascular Society
Education for Health
Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology (ARTP)
Women's Health
This incorporates both sexual health and gynaecological aspects of caring for women.
Sexual Health
The Faculty of Reproductive and Sexual Health (FRSH) of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have a diploma course which is considered the gold standard in sexual health care training.
FRSH Website
Unity Sexual Health (UBHT) in Bristol run various courses for sexual health matters including update days on contraception and sexual health. It can help provide clinical placements for those undertaking the FRSH diploma.
Unity Sexual Health Website
Avon LMC run courses on Long-acting Reversal Contraception (LARC) – and Unity have a LARC fitters forum with regular meetings.
Avon LMC Website
Unity also have links to online resources on FGM (Female Genital Mutilation), LGBQT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer/Questioning, Transgender) and many other useful and relevant resources.
Menopause
The British Menopause Society hold a number of nationwide events on menopause.
The British Menopause Society Website
Gynaecological Cancers
The Eve Appeal is a charity which has many resources on gynaecological cancers, and has made specific resources for primary care health care professionals.
The Eve Appeal Website
Cervical Cytology
Training is provided by the South West Cervical Cytology Training Centre at Southmead Hospital. Potential smear takers must fill in an application form and will be allocated the next available training course. There is often a wait of several months.
Cytology Training Website
Immunisations
Avon LMC provides free training for practice staff in Avon for immunisations. Initial training is 2 days long, and updates are a day. Travel immunisations are a separate training session, as is influenza and pneumonia. Please note that bookings can only be made with a login, which will be held by your practice manager.
Avon LMC Website
Ear Irrigation
Avon LMC provides free training for practice staff in Avon for ear care, ear irrigation and microscution. Please note that bookings can only be made with a login, which will be held by your practice manager.
Avon LMC Website
Wound Care
Avon LMC provides free training for practice staff in Avon on wound care, leg ulcer management and Doppler assessments. Please note that bookings can only be made with a login, which will be held by your practice manager.
Avon LMC Website
Cervical Cytology
Training is provided by the South West Cervical Cytology Training Centre at Southmead Hospital. Potential smear takers must fill in an application form and will be allocated the next available training course. There is often a wait of several months.
Cytology Training Website
Extended Role Training
Avon LMC provide training on microsuction for ears, sick child training, Non-medical prescribing updates, ENT/neuro/muscular assessment physical examination skills, dermatology
Avon LMC Website
Dermatology Skin Club
A regular meeting in Bristol where consultant dermatologists share photos of dermatological conditions and discuss them. Free to attend.
Please email Sarah.Carter@dermal.co.uk for more information on the next meeting.
Non-medical Prescribing
NMP training is provided by UWE in BNSSG.
Find Course Details Here
A limited number of funded places are available. Please contact Avon LMC for further information on these.
Advanced Practice
Advanced practice is a level of practice rather than a job title, and can be applied to all registered health care professionals and in all settings.
Advanced Practitioners should have completed a relevant Masters degree in advanced practice and have extensive clinical skills, alongside skills in research, leadership and education.
Read more about this here.
Some advanced practitioners gained their qualifications before these standards were brought in. There is ongoing work to allow these professionals to credential – that is, to demonstrate that their training and expertise allow them to work at the correct level. Currently the only credentialing available to nurses working in primary care is facilitated by the RCN (Royal College of Nursing).
Royal College of Nursing Website
There will be future developments in this area, regulated by Health Education England to promote some form of credentialing for all Health Care Professionals, regardless of background or clinical area.
Becoming an Advanced Practitioner
You will need support from your employers, as the course is based on having a clinical mentor to teach and supervise you. You will need to work towards a Masters degree in Advanced Practice.
In BNSSG UWE (University of the West of England) have a Masters in Advanced Practice. This course would need to be funded by the employer or the student. There are a limited number of funded module places for non-medical prescribing and PACR (Patient Assessment and Clinical Reasoning). For more information on the funded module places, please contact Avon LMC. FInd available UWE courses here
They are also the providers of the local Apprenticeship in Advanced Practice, which ends in a Masters degree, but is funded out of the government apprenticeship levy. Find apprenticeship details here
Many other universities and Higher Education Institutes have Advanced Practice Courses. If course attendance will be a problem, there are several distance learning Masters. The University of Cumbria is currently the only full distance learning based course and accredited by the RCN (to meet their standards of Advanced Practice).
Find details here
Other courses are available and can be found by using a search engine.
Other resources for Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACP)
Avon LMC run various courses, free for general practice staff in Avon; suitable for Advanced Practitioners
Avon LMC Website
BNSSG ACP forum is a forum for ACPs working in BNSSG. They have a website and a WhatsApp group. They meet monthly, rotating around BNSSG and invite clinical speakers to attend their meetings. Please email bnssg.acp.forum@gmail.com for more information and to join the forum.
Advanced Practice Week
Every year in the second week of November is Advanced Practice Week. Many universities and other organisations host Advanced Practice Conferences in this week. UWE has hosted such a conference for the last two years. Watch this space for more information.
Social Media and the Internet
A lot of the updates and training required can be found online. There are a large number of forums on Facebook discussing and supporting advanced practice and clinical knowledge. Twitter is also an excellent way of finding out what’s new in terms of guidelines and research. Please see the section on social media to find out more on how to use it professionally. YouTube can also be a useful resource in learning clinical skills.
Primary Care Training Centre (Bradford)
This is a well-established organisation based in Bradford which provides both distance learning and face-to-face diplomas and update days on all long-term conditions commonly treated in primary care. The prices are on the website. They have some funded places for staff working in the Bradford area.
Primary Care Training
BNSSG Training Hub
This is a local organisation which provides free training on a wide variety of subjects relevant to primary care. The courses vary across the year. Please click here to see current availability.
Avon Local Medical Committee (ALMC)
This is a local organisation which provides a number of courses relevant to general practice. They are free for staff working in general practice in BNSSG. They do not supply long courses for long-term conditions but do provide update days. Booking is available via their website but you’ll need your practice manager to do this.
Avon LMC Website
University of the West of England (UWE)
This is our local Higher Education Institute (HEI) and provides modules and diplomas in long-term conditions that can be studied at degree or masters level. These modules can then be used to complete a degree or masters degree if required. Please look at their website for more information. There is some limited availability for funded places on these modules. The funding is provided by Health Education England, and it is accessed via Jane Bennett at the ALMC.
UWE Website
Education For Health
This is a charitable organisation which provides both distance learning and face-to-face modules and update days on various long term conditions. The prices are on the website.
Education for Health
Foot Risk Awareness and Management Education training
This is a free resource developed to improve the assessment and management of diabetic foot care. Anyone can access it online, although practical experience is required in order to gain competence in this area.
Diabetes Frame Website
Cambridge Diabetes Education Programme
This online resource has been developed by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust alongside Diabetes UK (national diabetes charity) to provide modules on diabetes care, ranging from entry level abilities up to specialists. For staff working in BNSSG, there is limited free access to the site, available through contacting DANS (see below). Otherwise it costs £25 for a year.
Cambridge Diabetes Education Programme Website
Diabetes & Nutrition Services (DANS) in BNSSG
This organisation is part of Bristol Community Health, and provide specialist community diabetes and nutrition services to Bristol. Their specialist nurses are available to provide virtual clinics and help upskill staff in general practice by working with them. They also run the Insulin Initiation Courses to upskill local clinicians (who have completed the diabetic diploma first) into this specialised area. Please contact them for more details.
Bristol Community Health Website
E-learning for Health Asthma Online Module
E-learning for health has a good asthma e-learning module covering both adults and children.
Online Portal
Primary Care Respiratory Society
This organisation has good education resources for respiratory conditions.
Primary Care Respiratory Website
Primary Care Cardiovascular Society
This organisation has good educational resources for cardiovascular disease.
Primary Care Cardiovascular Website
Education for Health
Education for Health is a charitable organisation that provides a variety of courses, including degree level and diploma courses, on a wide range of clinical areas.
Education for Health Website
Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology (ARTP)
This organisation provides the gold standard training for spirometry assessment , and their training provides entry to the ARTP spirometry register.
ARTP Website
Leadership & Management Training
Avon LMC provide free training for practice staff in Avon. They provide training on appraisals amongst other management skills.
BNSSG Training Hub regularly run leadership courses for clinicians in general practice.
The NHS have a leadership academy where you can find a variety of courses at different levels. Some are free and online, whilst others involve a cost and have face-to-face learning. They have developed the Rosalind Franklin course (for midlevel leadership) and there is a version specifically for general practice nurses.