Onclick in rudest of health with its training packages
Marden firm develops doctors’ system
By Keith Lewis
A SMALL educational design firm based in the village of Marden has come up with an e-learning package for doctors that could sweep the country.
Onclick, which specialises in developing interactive learning programmes, has won a contract from the Kent and Medway GP staff training team to help doctors’ practices register and comply with new Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards that come into force in April.
GPs and other support staff will be able to access the e-learning course through a dedicated online learning zone. Employees doing the training will be assessed and
receive a certificate on passing.
Managing director Lester Cunningham, who formed Onclick as a private company in 2000, said: “We have the advantage in Kent that such services are commissioned centrally through the Kent and Medway GP team.
“Elsewhere in the country most doctors have to access information and seek guidance on an
individual practice basis. Many could come under pressure to meet the deadline next year.
“The new CQC standards, which cover cleaning, waste disposal, general hygiene and managerial audits. will affect every doctor’s surgery in the UK.
“We believe that many GPs outside Kent will be very relieved when they get to hear about our programme.
“And if some of them do decide to become our clients we will be able to share our good fortune with Kent and Medway through a profit-sharing agreement.”
Di Tyas of the Kent Local Medical Committee said; “Practice managers in Kent and Medway
identified the need for an accessible and flexible training course to help them fully understand the CQC standards before the registration deadline next year.
“We worked with Onclick to design an e-learning course that emphasises that cleaning is
everybody’s responsibility.”
The strict standards imposed by CQC, the independent regulator of heath and adult social
care services in England, will also assess GP practices on whether patients are treated with dignity and respect.
Those failing to meet the standards could face legal action.
Dementia
Mr Cunningham and his team, comprising four full-time and two part-time staff, are currently working with King’s College University and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation to produce an online training suite for dementia.
“We haven’t really put our heads above the parapet before.” said Mr Cunningham.
“But we will be taking a stand at the Learning Technologies Conference and Exhibition which takes place at London’s Olympia on January 29 and 30 ”
Extract from the Kent & Sussex Courier 7/12/2012 (page 26)
