Public Health and Epidemiology

Details

Title

Public Health and Epidemiology

Type

Stage Two

Module code

HLS266

Requirement

Compulsory

Module objective

By the end of the training period trainees will, in respect to developing skills and knowledge required for understanding the presentation and management of communicable diseases and the monitoring of antibiotic resistance patterns in hospitals and in the community, be able to:

• analyse, synthesise, evaluate and apply knowledge
• perform, adapt and master a range of technical and clinical skills and procedures and
• demonstrate the attitudes and behaviours necessary for professional practise as a Consultant Clinical Scientist dealing with the complexities, uncertainties and tensions of professional practise at this level

Knowledge and understanding

By the end of the training period the trainee will be able to demonstrate the ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise relevant knowledge and its application to their professional practice in relation to:

• the principles and practices of surveillance of infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance, including the use of routine and enhanced surveillance systems
• the principles of outbreak investigation
• the role of public health bodies (e.g. Public Health England) or equivalent bodies at local, regional and national levels
• the role of others in the prevention and control of infection
• the role and function of reference laboratories 

By the end of the training programme trainees would also be expected to attain a working knowledge of use of molecular methods for public health purposes, including:

• Typing methods for surveillance and outbreak investigation
• Screening tests for surveillance and outbreak investigation
• Diagnostic tests used to support public health (e.g. pertussis PCR)

Technical and clinical skills

By the end of the training period the trainee will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of current relevant research, theory and knowledge and its application to the performance, adaptation and mastery of the following technical procedures and laboratory skills:

• Correctly utilise laboratory reporting and monitoring trends (e.g. in antimicrobial resistance).
  • Handle and interpret data
  • Use basic statistics and bioinformatics appropriately
  • Recognise value and limitations of surveillance systems (e.g. for surgical site infection, Legionnaires’ disease, meningococcal disease, TB)
• Liaise and communicate with consultants in communicable disease control (C’sCDC), Consultants in Health Protection, environmental health officers (EHO’s), etc
• Give basic health and travel advice and refer to other sources of information and support
• Recognise abnormal patterns of infection
  • Deal with the unexpected
  • Liaise with others to initiate a clinical and managerial response and institute remediation, including defining, establishing and maintaining the appropriate levels of laboratory security to ensure due diligence in the prevention of criminal misuse of organisms
• Refer material to reference laboratories in a timely manner
• Use the expertise of reference laboratories to inform local practice

By the end of the training period the trainee will be able to apply knowledge of public health and epidemiology  to perform, adapt and master the clinical skills necessary to:

• Make a differential diagnosis with respect to infections with public health importance and abnormal disease presentations.