Outbreaks training course

This course is suitable for senior members of infection control teams, who are currently working in, or planning to move into, a role leading HCAI outbreak management. The course is aimed principally towards combined infection trainees, medical microbiology, virology and infectious diseases trainees, clinical scientists registered on a HSST programme and senior infection control nurses. The aim of the course is to develop understanding and key practical skills in a structured management response to outbreak investigation.

This course combines taught and practical sessions with opportunities for dialogue around outbreak management. Whilst providing a sound foundation in the basics of outbreak management and investigations, the course also delivers specific sessions around agenda setting, constructing timelines, simple stats, case-control studies and writing press releases. The course also features a dedicated ‘table top exercise training experience’ involving a detailed scenario for delegates to work through based on an actual hospital outbreak.

The course has been created and developed by Dr Tim Boswell, medical microbiology consultant and deputy director of infection prevention and control - Nottingham University Hospitals, and will be taught by him and Dr Nik Mahida, consultant medical microbiologist and infection control doctor - Nottingham University Hospitals.