Launch of new e-learning tool to support health care professionals’ cultural competence

A new e-learning tool is launched today at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), to better support NHS clinicians from across the country in how to meet the diverse needs of all patients and families.

The new learning resource, entitled Cultural Competence, aims to support clinicians in the NHS to gain knowledge and understanding of the issues around culture and health; and how this might influence health care outcomes.

Funded by Health Education North Central East London (HENCEL) and developed from work initially undertaken as part of the Mary Seacole Awards, the new resource has been created to improve communication between patients and clinicians and enhance staff confidence in navigating and responding to the varied needs of their patients. Cultural competence supports the provision of quality and safe health services and this e-learning tool aims to highlight the key issues relating to culture which may influence the uptake of health care and treatment options.

The resource, developed by Health Education England’s e-Learning for Healthcare (HEE e-LfH) programme, includes animation, interactive activities and opportunities for self-reflection and evaluation, covers three modules, the first two for all health professionals and the third specifically aimed at midwives. It was developed through exploratory and development work examining midwives’ knowledge, understanding and experiences of providing culturally sensitive care as well as the needs of black and minority ethnic service users’ and their experiences of maternity service provision.

Chief Nurse for England, Jane Cummings, said: “Everyone accessing NHS services has a right to receive unbiased, non-judgmental care which supports their individual needs, values and beliefs. We all need to be culturally competent in the NHS so that the care that we provide is not only safe but also of the best quality we can offer to everyone.”

Health Education England Director of Nursing, Professor Lisa Bayliss Pratt, said: “HEE were delighted to support the development of this Cultural Competence e-learning tool, which was developed from work undertaken as part of the Mary Seacole Awards. These projects seek to benefit and improve the health outcomes of people from black and minority ethnic communities. This online resource will help to support health professionals to reflect on their practice and ability to respond to all patients and families within their care wherever they’re from and whatever their beliefs or culture.”

Cathy Warwick, Chief Executive at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), said: “The RCM is delighted to have supported the development of this e-learning tool and we will encourage our midwife members to use this in their clinical practice. Cultural competency in maternity care is now more important than ever as the UK’s population grows and continues to become more diverse. We want midwives to advocate on behalf of the women they care for and knowledge about the cultural context in which women make decisions. It is our hope that this newly developed e-learning tool will help towards achieving that.”

Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Chief Nurse, Juliette Greenwood, said: “Cultural competency is shown to contribute to reducing healthcare disparities, leading to improved patient care outcomes and experiences. This new resource will better support clinicians in meeting the healthcare needs of our diverse multicultural UK population.”

For more information about Cultural Competence visit http://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/cultural-competence/

Follow the launch event via #CultureMattersToMe