Explore genomics in health visiting

The fifth annual #GenomicsConversation campaign is taking place this week (from 20-24 June 2022) and is focused on helping healthcare professionals to feel confident when talking about genomics. Each day is themed, with Day 3 (Wednesday’s) theme being: Recognising when genomics is relevant – which is the ideal day to share a new resource for health visitors.

To help upskill the health visiting workforce and provide support in genomics learning, the Genomics Education Programme (GEP), in collaboration with the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV), has created a dynamic new resource in the Genomics in Healthcare series: Genomics in Health Visiting. The page is divided into key sections highlighting important aspects of genomics in health visiting, including the diagnostic odyssey, how to take a family history, and the impact that genomics can have on families’ lives.

The resource adopts a multifaceted learning approach to cater for a range of learning styles, featuring videos, image carousels and other interactive elements, and has developed with a focus on functional learning – with tips and takeaways that can applied in practice right away.

For those looking for more, a handy link bank includes signposting out to many other resources, including the iHV’s Good Practice Points eXtra document that works as an excellent ‘next step’ for learners looking to continue their journey.

You can explore this exciting new resource now on the GEP website.

Go to new GEP Genomics in Health Visiting webpage

Go to iHV GPP eXtra – Understanding Genomics

This series of five Good Practice Points (GPPs), collated together as a GPP eXtra, will help enhance health visitors’ understanding of genomics and how it will impact on their role and practice.

Get involved in the Genomics Conversation 2022

The fifth annual #GenomicsConversation campaign is taking place from 20-24 June 2022 and will focus on helping healthcare professionals to feel confident when talking about genomics.

The goal for the week is to spark a conversation about genomics and increase healthcare professionals’ familiarity with the topic.

Genomics is increasingly relevant to health visitors, but in what ways? What are the common questions you might encounter? Find out why genomics conversations are relevant in your practice and what you need to know by joining the #GenomicsConversation. Plus keep an eye out for Genomics Education Programme’s new “Genomics in Health Visiting” resource being launched that week.

Genomics Conversation

The Genomics Education Programme (GEP) invites all healthcare professionals to join them and get prepared to talk about genomics with both patients and colleagues.

To maximise learning time, each day of the week has a dedicated theme covering a different area of genomics communication:

Day 1: What is genomics? Why do I need to talk about it?
Day 2: Common questions you might encounter.
Day 3: Recognising when genomics is relevant.
Day 4: Getting equipped to talk about genomics.
Day 5: In summary: key tips and takeaways.

Find out more about how to get involved

In addition to the theme days, the GEP has also launched a supporting webpage containing example activities, suggested social media posts and FAQs to answer any questions you may have about the week. If you would like to get involved, please email the GEP team.

Read GEP FAQs to find out more

Bookings open for third Genomics webinar

iHV has teamed up with Genomics Education Programme (GEP) to run three free webinars on genomics – open to all health visitors. We ran the first webinar in December 2021 and the second one in January 2022.

If you would like to watch/hear the first two webinars, please click here.

Our third and final webinar is titled “How can we develop our knowledge of Genomics?”. This will be held on Thursday 24 February 14:00-15:30.

In this webinar, we will be considering how we can adapt our current practice to embed genomics in our work with families. Join Sally Shillaker from iHV, and hear from Dr Ed Miller of Genomics Education Programme, about how we can develop our personal knowledge of genomics.

You don’t need to have attended webinar one or two to book on to this third webinar.

Book your place today

RCNi Webinar: Genomics in Routine Care Part 3

Following the success of the first two webinars, watched live by over 1,000 attendees combined, the Genomics Education Programme, NHSE/I and the RCNi would like to invite you to join the third and final part of their free webinar series on 8 September.

This final webinar in the series will feature a range of speakers looking at how genomics is being applied to healthcare and opportunities available for learning, including a look at courses and resources designed to show health professionals how genomics is and will be used in specific areas of practice.

The webinar will be chaired by Professor Chris Morley, Chief Nurse for the North East and Yorkshire NHS Genomic Medicine Service Alliance, with opening remarks delivered by Professor Mark Radford, Chief Nurse for Health Education England.

For those health visitors who have an interest in genomics, Sally Shillaker will be speaking about genomics and the health visiting role during the webinar.

This webinar is CPD-certified and will allow you to gain two hours of participatory CPD towards your revalidation.

To find out more or to reserve your free space now, please visit the registration page.

Book your free place at Webinar 3 - Genomics: It’s my time to learn!

#GenomicsConversation 2021: Five key themes

Plans are coming together for the HEE Genomics Education Programme (GEP) #GenomicsConversation campaign, starting on Monday 28 June. Aimed at nurses, midwives and health visitors, the week will demonstrate the relevance of genomics in healthcare practice through a selection of learning resources and online activities.

Genomics is going to be fundamental to the future of healthcare, transforming outcomes for patients and families. These new technologies are already entering mainstream healthcare and to help prepare you for this exciting future you will need some understanding of what it means for you, your clinical practice and those people in your care.

Each day of the week has been dedicated to covering one of the common themes that emerged from the GEP genomics awareness survey last year:

Monday – “I don’t know what genomics is.”
Tuesday – “Genomics is not relevant to my role.”
Wednesday – “It all sounds too difficult.”
Thursday – “I don’t have time to learn about genomics.”
Friday – “I’m not sure what I should do next.”

Free online activities will be made available throughout the week, tailored to reflect each day’s theme. This year, HEE GEP is pleased to launch several new resources, including podcast interviews and the first of three RCNi educational webinars (see below for more details), that will be posted out as part of their range of curated content.

For further news and updates on the #GenomicsConversation 2021, follow on social media or check out their webpage.

RCNi educational webinars From Niche to Necessity: Genomics in routine care

Free to attend webinar series

NHS England and NHS Improvement and Health Education England’s Genomics Education Programme have partnered with the RCNi and extend a warm invitation to you to join them at an introductory series of 3 free webinars exploring genomics, its use in healthcare and the opportunities it brings for nurses, midwives, and health visitors. With no prior knowledge of genomics required, each webinar will highlight different topics and feature contributions from a wide variety of professional in practice, suitable for all from ‘Novice to Expert’.

Webinar 1 – What is Genomics: How will this change my clinical practice? 29 June 14:00-16:00
- The first webinar will explore what genomics is, why nurses and midwives need to get involved now, and how will it change practice for the benefit of patients.
- Introduction by Chief Nursing Officer for England – Ruth May
Webinar 2 – How is genomics changing healthcare right now and in the future? 21 July 14:00-16:00
- In the second webinar, you will hear how genomics is already being used throughout healthcare to bring real benefits to patients including lots of examples from nurses and midwives working in the field.
- Introduction by Professor Jacqueline Dunkley Bent Chief midwifery Officer for England
Webinar 3 – Genomics: It’s my time to learn! 8 September 14:00-16:00
- The final webinar will explore opportunities for learning about genomics including what’s currently out there to help healthcare professionals get up to speed with what they need for their own practice.
- Introduction by Professor Mark Radford Chief Nurse for Health Education England

For more information please contact Rosie Davis, RCNi Event Manager at [email protected]