The Institute of Health visiting (iHV) is excited to launch the new iHV Genomics Ambassadors training programme; designed to improve health visitor knowledge and understanding of genomics when delivering universal health visiting services.
Why Genomics?
Genomics is a rapidly growing area of medicine and becoming an important part of mainstream healthcare. It is increasingly important that health visitors use knowledge of genomics when supporting families in their care. The need to apply knowledge and understanding of genomics in health visiting practice and demonstrate continued professional development is set out in the NMC 2022 standards of proficiency for specialist community public health nurses (SCPHN). SCPHNs are expected to demonstrate a commitment to these standards (in addition to the NMC Code) when applying for revalidation of SCPHN-health visitor NMC registration.
The iHV is partnering with the NHS England Genomics Education Programme team (formerly Genomics Education Programme GEP) to support health visitors to embed genomics into their daily roles of prevention and early intervention while working in partnership with families to positively influence and improve outcomes for babies and children.
Aim of the iHV Genomics Ambassador training programme
To enable health visitors to become iHV Ambassadors in genomics, equipped with knowledge and understanding to become place-based leaders in raising awareness of genomics.
Learning outcomes
- To equip health visitors with relevant knowledge and understanding of genomics
- Enable health visitors to apply and promote genomics in their everyday practice
- Support health visitors to become place-based leaders, with tools and learning resources to:
- raise awareness of genomics within health visiting localities
- connect with wider genomic provision in the NHS
- continue professional development in genomics
The programme will be delivered across each GMSA region – please refer to maps of eligibility. Delivery is managed through a mix of presentations, speakers and interactive learning activities and groupwork. In addition to understanding genomics better, there is also the opportunity to understand the role of the NHS England Genomic Medicine Service Alliance and connect this learning and the application of genomics to professional regulatory requirements of the NMC for registered SCPHN-health visitors.
1 Day
HVs in the North Thames region (see map)
