Bringing together nursing and midwifery leaders to explore ways to embed genomics into healthcare
The bi-annual Nursing and Midwifery Round Table was founded by the Genomics Education Programme (GEP) and is chaired by Lord Willis of Knaresborough and co-chaired by Health Education England chief nurse Professor Lisa Bayliss-Pratt.
Membership comprises representatives from across nursing and midwifery organisations and professional bodies, including the Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of Midwives, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Council of Deans of Health, Macmillan Cancer Support, Queen’s Nursing Institute, Institute of Health Visiting, and School and Public Health Nurses Association.
Visual minutes from the first round table
Objectives
The key aims of the round table are to:
Engage
Bring together and mobilise leaders from nursing and midwifery to champion genomics and to inform educational strategy and resource development.
Assess
Explore opportunities to embed genomics and personalised medicine into clinical, educational and research practice.
Educate
Ensure that nursing and midwifery education curricula include genomics to meet the demands of an evolving healthcare system.
Connect
Bring people together to explore existing educational initiatives so that information can be shared and disseminated within members’ organisations.
Champion
Raise the profile of Health Education England’s Genomics Education Programme and its work in healthcare amongst nurses and midwives.
Achievements
Key successes of the collaboration to date include:
- Curricula development: The inclusion of genomics in the NMC’s standards of proficiency for registered nurses and the nursing associate curriculum framework.
- Educational development: The development of two genomics board games aimed at nurses, nursing associates and midwives.
- Raised awareness: A dedicated week of action, with broad engagement from nurses and midwives across all social media channels; an awareness-raising film about the importance of genomics in nursing.
- Shared knowledge: A supportive and interactive forum for key influencers to discuss and plan for the implementation of the Genomic Medicine Service.
Visual minutes from the first round table
Future goals
In order to take forward the GEP’s strategy to transform and embed genomics into nursing and midwifery practice nationally, the round table will undertake the following activity:
Collaborate
Devise and gain consensus on a common and consistent language to describe genomics activity.
Evaluate
Identify the genomics touch-points along the patient pathway to inform the development of education and training for relevant staff.
Extend
Continue to mobilise new and existing networks of nurses and midwives to raise awareness of genomics and its impact on healthcare practice.
Train
Strengthen links with the NMC and Council of Deans of Health to ensure that genomics is embedded within the undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum.
