Specialists for Scotland – Financial support

In response to a request from the Scottish Government HAI Task Force to develop an educational framework for specialists working in infection prevention and control, NES undertook a training needs assessment of the educational requirements of this specialised group (2008). In addition, the Scottish Management of Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan (ScotMARAP) 2008 recommended that Masters level education should be made available.

Following a successful tendering exercise a consortium of The University of Dundee, UHI Millennium Institute and Glasgow Caledonian University were awarded the contract to develop a range of new multi-disciplinary modules to address the needs identified in the training needs assessment and enhance the existing Masters programmes within the University of Dundee and UHI:

·         Quality Improvement and Patient Safety

·         Measures for Improvement in HAI Practice

·         Outbreak Management

·         Antimicrobial Stewardship

·         Controlling the Healthcare Environment

These modules may be of interest to a multi-professional group including Microbiologists, Doctors and Nurses with responsibility for infection prevention and control, Infection Control Managers and members of the Antimicrobial Management Teams.

To support this initiative, NES has provided funding to each NHS Board to support uptake and augment opportunities for staff development and career progression.  

In addition, eight free places on each of the six new masters-level continuing professional development modules in infection control are available to existing students undertaking a Master’s degree in infection control in Scotland at University of Dundee or UHI , and previous students.

Helen Maitland, Programme Director (HAI) at NES, said “NES is supportive of this approach which augments opportunities for staff development and career progression for a range of multi-disciplinary infection control specialists.”

For more information on infection control modules offered by University of Dundee, UHI, and Glasgow Caledonian University contact:

Karen Lee (University of Dundee) k.e.lee@dundee.ac.uk

Lyn Edwards (UHI) lyn.edwards@uhi.ac.uk

Marty Wright (Glasgow Caledonian University) m.wright@gcal.ac.uk