WINNER
St John’s DermAcademy: Innovation in Dermatology Education
by St John’s Institute of Dermatology, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
St John’s DermAcademy (DermAcademy) (https://www.stjohnsdermacademy.com) is the first organisation of its kind run by, and for, multi-disciplinary healthcare professionals (HCPs), to provide high quality dermatology education to improve patient care. An expert multidisciplinary team (MDT) of clinicians, specialist nurses, pharmacists, psychologists and invited national and international speakers delivers dermatology education via multiple modalities, including face-to-face and online virtual courses and podcasts. Educational content is tailored to HCPs in primary and secondary care, including dermatology consultants, trainees, GPs, nurses, and allied health professionals. Feedback is consistently excellent. In 2020, DermAcademy: delivered a series of five live webinar courses for HCPs on a range of dermatology topics, with international attendance; delivered the Clinical Dermatology Care Course for Nurses via a new online platform, with online modules and seven live study days; launched a series of open-access dermatology education podcasts for clinicians; delivered a patient and public involvement (PPI) webinar, in collaboration with the Psoriasis Association, on the impact of COVID-19 on people with psoriasis. It also expanded online open-access dermatology educational resources for patients, with the DermAcademy team contributing to three patient education videos on how to apply occlusive dressings, paste bandages, and wet wraps.
Judges’ comments:
“Through the DermAcademy the team at St John’s have demonstrated a commitment to quality multi-professional dermatology education. The judges were impressed by the influence this will have on practice both now and in the future.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED
National Specialist Dermatology Pharmacist Steering Group
by Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Within dermatology there is a small cohort of secondary care pharmacists with varied additional responsibilities, whether for high-cost medicines, prescribing, NHS England or Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) involvement. These highly specialised and experienced pharmacists have little interaction with others in similar roles, with no opportunity to share best practice or training support at national, regional or local levels. The development of the National Specialist Dermatology Pharmacist steering group has recognised this need and created a platform where common training requirements are identified and met. Best practice is shared, with a group ethos of taking back learnings to develop further locally and continuously improve national standards of care. The group is driving for Royal Pharmaceutical Society accreditation. A wider group of pharmacists has been identified and an annual conference will provide high value education and training support across the dermatology portfolio. The aim is to innovate, improve standards, provide education, offer networking, grow confidence and, ultimately, improve outcomes for dermatology patients.
Judges’ comments:
“A high commendation was given to the National Specialist Dermatology Pharmacist Steering Group project in recognition of the value to dermatological care of having a network for secondary care pharmacists working in dermatology.”
