It offers an easy way to fit studying around job commitments and the study days were a great opportunity to meet other students working in similar environments to myself

Distance & blended learning

Healthcare professionals face greater time pressures than ever before. Every aspect of Education for Health's approach is designed to provide the flexibility and necessary motivation to ensure that its learning programmes are completed and deliver results:

• All courses focus on independent learning, complemented with study days for support. This means that all study can be conducted at a pace to suit each individual and fit in with working in clinical practice

• Study guidelines: many students will complete 2 of our 30 credit modules in one year; each module requires an average 300 hours including study-days, meetings with work mentors and time to complete assignments

• A varied learning experience: a mixture of face-to-face, assessments and online study

• We harness modern technology to enhance the delivery of our learning, leading to a better, more fun, more interesting and more stimulating learning experience

• Start studying a module whenever you want: you are not tied to the academic year

• Comprehensive range of courses: this year we have trained over 5000 students and have run over 300 training courses in long term conditions

• Blended learning: our approach takes the best elements of print, online and face-to-face teaching methods that have been scientifically proven¹ to impact on practitioner confidence and competence and improve health outcomes and quality of life

• Multi professional relevance: our training is designed for anyone working along a primary or community care pathway. Our education taps into national policy and encourages team working

• Fun, interactive, informative study days: run by our own trainers, who are all practicing clinicians. Our trainers make study relevant to everyday practice and illustrate difficult issues with real life patient stories

• Share experiences: our interactive study days are also a great opportunity to discuss ideas and share experiences with others in your field or with those who share an understanding of your role/teamwork along a care pathway

• More than 80 trainers: practicing in a broad range of clinical roles from Community Matron with a Special Interest in Heart Failure/Cardiology to Public Health Lead Nurse for Long Term Conditions. There are COPD Matrons, Nurse Practitioners, Practice Nurses and Respiratory Nurse Specialists. All our Trainers are passionate about improving the care and management of patients

• Lifelong friendships: our students make friends for life. Dr Monsur Habib says, "I got involved with Education for Health eight years ago, taking a number of courses and enhancing my knowledge of respiratory disease. During my visit I built up a friendship with Monica Fletcher, Education for Health Chief Executive, and since then together we have gone on to launch the ‘Better Breathing Bangladesh' project. This aims to improve the quality of care provided to patients with long term conditions in Bangladesh. This has had a profound effect on my life."

References:

1. Sheikh A, Khan-Wasti S, Price D, Smeeth L, Fletcher M, Walker S. Standardized training for healthcare professionals and its impact on patients with perennial rhinitis: a multi-centre randomized controlled trial.  Clin Exp Allergy 2007; 37(1):90-99