Short Courses and Study Days

Why are Communication Skills Important?

Being able to communicate effectively is a core clinical skill for all professionals who have regular patient contact and, as part of that role, are required to gather or give information, break bad news or support patients to make and understand decisions related to their care and treatment.

The link between effective communication skills and the delivery of high-quality care as well as staff resilience has been highlighted in both the research literature and a number of successive national reports.

This two-day evidence-based course has been developed by a group of leading communication researchers and trainers and is aimed at doctors, nurses and senior healthcare professionals (band 6 & above) wishing to enhance their clinical communication skills with patients, carers, or colleagues.  We will also consider applications from registered healthcare professionals working below a band 6, but who can demonstrate that they are working in a specialist area and require training to undertake more complex communication tasks.   

Participants set the agenda for both days by identifying challenging communication situations they experience at work. These challenges are recreated with actors playing different roles such as a patient, family member or colleague for participants to practice key skills and principles, receive constructive feedback and test out alternative strategies.

In previous courses key areas of challenge have included:

• Managing anger or distress
• Breaking Bad News
• Handling difficult questions
• Improving communication with colleagues
• Dealing with complaints

For course queries email store@uea.ac.uk

This course is designed for registered practitioners including RGNs midwives, paramedics or pharmacists who are preparing to deliver immunisations under Patient Group Directions (PGDs) in community settings such as: general practice, schools, maternity care services, pharmacies, or long-term care settings.

Delegates having attended the course may also require a period of supervised practice before attaining competence in delivering vaccines and they are recommended to demonstrate this by completing the competence document provided at the training day.

This 2-day course is suitable for staff who will be providing immunisations under Patient Specific Directions (PSDs) such as healthcare assistants (HCAs), assistant practitioners (Nursing Associate, Physician/GP Assistant) Pharmacy Technicians or other primary care support workers providing flu, covid-19, pneumococcal and shingles vaccines. Content may also be useful for those providing information and advice or supporting the delivery of vaccination programmes such as managers of the above groups.

It follows the curriculum set out in the ‘National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Vaccination Training’ document (UKHSA June 2025) and includes the relevant parts of UKHSA document ‘Training Recommendations for Covid 19 Vaccinators’ (Nov 2024) Since September 2024 Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine for elderly patients has also been included.

Written and oral assessment takes place at the end of the second day, to ensure a satisfactory level of theoretical knowledge has been achieved. Delegates are then required to complete supervised practice with an appropriate senior immuniser in their workplace until all immunisation competencies have been demonstrated to a satisfactory level and signed off by the person supervising.

This interactive half-day face-to-face session is for staff who are already engaged in delivering vaccines or returning to practice and requiring face to face revision before administering vaccines.

It is assumed that all delegates have completed basic immunisation training and are competent in vaccine delivery via injections. Those unfamiliar with administering vaccines via the nasal route will be able to access training including use of demonstrators. Registered staff and healthcare support workforce are welcome to attend.

This course follows recommendations found in the UKHSA National Minimum Standards for Vaccination Training document (June 2025).

Suitable for simulation novices and experienced educators alike, the UEA Simulation Instructor Course has been designed to develop the skills needed to deliver Simulation Based Education (SBE) effectively. The course explores and applies the following topics:
1. What is SBE?
2. The Simulation Faculty
3. Simulation Safety
4. Planning Simulation
5. Simulation Delivery
6. Debriefing

THE COURSE CONSISTS OF:
Three hours of high quality pre-learning podcasts covering 6 key topics of simulation theory.

One day face-to-face workshop at the Edith Cavell Building Simulation Centre, UEA