CSMEN helps address the inequity of access to high quality multi-professional education across both geographical and professional boundaries by providing quality assured skills and simulation courses. 

2023/24 education from the core CSMEN Team                                                       

Benefits of local training 

  • Enables local teams to train together 
  • Reduces CO2 emissions 
  • Minimises time away from clinical duties  
  • Reduces financial cost to NHS Scotland  
  • Improves patient care  

We will support you to embed simulation training in health and social care.  

Medicine Simulation Update  

Working closely with the Simulation Leads we have continued implementation of the national simulation strategies for trainees across Scotland. A number of new simulation training courses have been developed and piloted this training year, providing curriculum-mapped simulation training across an increased number of specialties. 

Featured courses 

Anaesthetics Initial Assessment of Competency (IAC) Simulation Day –This one-day course gives anaesthetic trainees the chance to rehearse the initial response and management of some common anaesthetic emergencies in a safe environment. 

“All scenarios really relevant to us and our training.” 

Scottish Inter-facility Transfer (ShIFT) Course –This one-day course for anaesthetics trainees and intensive care nurses aims to prepare trainees for inter hospital transfers, focussing on improving safety and performance in this area.  

“Great to include the ambulance and involve paramedics and ICU nurses in the course - increased realism” 

Scottish Organ Donation Simulation Course – This course runs in partnership with the Scottish Organ Donation service, providing opportunities for intensive care medics and critical care nurses to improve practical and communication skills relating to organ donation, with the support of expert faculty in organ donation including Clinical Leads for Organ Donation and Specialist Nurses for Organ Donation. 

Mobile Skills Unit July Update 

In July the Mobile Skills Unit supported training in South Queensferry with NHS 24 and SAS Advanced Nurse Practitioners. The three day programme included; introduction to interdisciplinary learning, clinical assessment, practice history taking and clinical consultation. 

The Mobile Skills Unit also supported Scottish Rugby training across three Scottish Rugby sites; Murrayfield Stadium, Galashiels, and Scotstoun. Training included pre-hospital pitch side care and BLS/ALS and AED.  

Dr Karen Barclay, Scottish Rugby’s Welfare Manager, has been leading the first aid and CPD sessions across Scotland and said:  

It is a great opportunity for the medical community working pitchside in Scottish club rugby to come together and learn from each other by rehearsing for these situations,” 

Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anywhere and to anyone. We know that most of our clubs do have access to a heart start machine (AED).”  

Next month we are delighted to be collaborating with the NHS Scotland Academy, University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian, bringing the Mobile Skills Unit to Rubislaw Park Care Home in Aberdeen for the first visit to a care home in Scotland. This pilot will provide Carers, Senior Carers and Team Leaders with the opportunity to learn through simulation, share experiences and improve outcomes for patients and residents. 

Thinking of booking the Mobile Skills Unit for your region? Check out the MSU availability on this calendar.   

Interprofessional Education Survey  

NHS Scotland Academy and the Clinical Skills Managed Educational Network are currently scoping how interprofessional education (IPE) involving staff, trainees and/or students learning interactively with, from and about each other is happening in health and social care in Scotland.  The responses will be used to determine what support or resources would help the development of IPE. 

Please would you mind taking some time (approx. 10 minutes) to respond to the IPE scoping survey on behalf of your department?  

If you have any questions or concerns about this survey, please contact: 

Dr Veronica O'Carroll veronica.ocarroll@nhs.scot  Senior Educator Interprofessional Education