BCS launches new NHS IT qualification

A new qualification, NHS ELITE (NHS eLearning IT Essentials), has been launched by the British Computer Society and Department of Health IT agency Connecting for Health.

Officially launched at last week’s Healthcare Computing 2008 conference, the new qualification, accredited by the BCS, helps to consolidate the IT skills of NHS staff by offering valuable hands-on IT training from using a keyboard and mouse, through to e-mail, web and file management skills.

The qualification has been designed to complement the existing NHS eLearning for Health Information Systems (BCS NHS Health) qualification, which provides staff with the training they need to comply with rules on information governance, data protection and patient confidentiality when using health information systems implemented locally through the National Programme for IT.

The BCS says BCS NHS Health is the first computer skills syllabus in the world specifically for users of healthcare systems and covers some of the broad issues, challenges and benefits of using electronic patient information systems.

Already the system has been trialled by 100 NHS staff across five NHS trusts, and the BCS says this has proved to be successful, with candidates taking an average of ten hours to complete the learning section and 90% of candidates passing the course-end test.

Peter Bayley, director of qualification products at the BCS, said: “Changes in the way patient information is stored and shared means that qualification providers need to be anticipating and mirroring those changes.

“To have one of our tailored qualifications taken up by one of the largest organisations in the world is a fantastic confirmation of the continued relevance and value of BCS qualifications.”

Both qualifications are part of the joint BCS/NHS Essential IT Skills (EITS) Programme funded by CfH.

They have been developed to ensure front line NHS staff have access to training which will develop their basic IT skills whilst also ensuring that they understand their responsibilities in regards to accessing and handling patient information on the new systems and services.

Claire Adams, programme manager for NHS CFH, said: “I am delighted to be working with the BCS to provide access to Essential IT Skills training for clinical and non-clinical health care staff over the next three years.

“By funding access to learning materials, registrations, tests, accreditation and certification, NHS Connecting for Health is taking advantage of national economies of scale to help meet local NHS needs.”

NHS ELITE will allow health workers to demonstrate their competence using a simulated IT system. From there a tailored learning plan is drawn up to guide the student through a range of appropriate tutorials.

Adams added: “The endorsement of the BCS accreditations for both NHS ELITE and NHS Health provides NHS staff with a credible and professional qualification and we look forward to working with the BCS to continue to develop the Essential IT Skills Programme.”

The BCS NHS Health initiative is the result of seven years of collaborative work between the BCS and NHS.

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