NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre
Published: 31 October 2012
Michelle Madeley, Publications Specialist and Events Manager for the NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre offers an insight into how the centre can assist you and your patients.
Genetics and your role: resources to support your development
Over the last seven years the NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre has been the leading facilitator of genetic and genomic education for the NHS workforce. To help support staff in their teaching and learning we have developed a variety of resources ranging from factsheets on specific areas such as breast and bowel cancer, obesity and diabetes, to worksheets to help you practise drawing a family tree.
All of these resources and more are available from our website which has been separated into areas for teaching, learning and health care professionals in practice.
Within the learning genetics section you will find information and guidance about:
- understanding genetics and inheritance patterns
- genetic testing and screening
- genetic conditions and glossary.
The teaching genetics section is divided into areas to support:
- medical practitioners
- nurses
- pharmacogenetics
- dietitians.
The genetics in practice section contains information on workforce competences, to help support the application of genetics in the patient pathway, and guidance on developing new services involving genetics.
Individual resources that may be of interest to nurses involved in bowel cancer screening include the Taking and drawing a family history series, which includes a factsheet dedicated to bowel cancer and the Practising drawing a genetic family history series - both available via the resources webpage. In the practising series, worksheet 10 has a bowel cancer scenario with which you can practise your pedigree drawing skills.
Finally, we are in the process of launching a new and improved website. The new format will make our content easier to find, use and share. Visit the Genetics Education website.
Key features will include:
- improved navigation – a new search function
- genetics in the news – summaries of genetics in the popular press
- expanded learning and teaching sections
- a new clinical practice section
- links to our new virtual learning environment ‘My genetics learning’.
We look forward to welcoming you to our new website and if you ever need any help please email us at enquiries@geneticseducation.nhs.uk
Michelle Madeley, Publications Specialist and Events Manager for the NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre