Welcome to the first ScotGEN Newsletter.

This has been a busy development phase for ScotGEN - as you continue to read through this newsletter you will appreciate this, particularly with the appointment of several new staff members.

We will shortly be in a very strong position to produce and upload learning material for everyone to access and use. Our active projects are being supported very efficiently by the two ScotGEN administrators. Our website is having a makeover so please keep looking for changes and feed back your comments.

We will soon be enhancing our Steering Group to give wider representation of relevant professionals.

We plan to produce our newsletter two or three times each year and I look forward to your comments and contributions.

Finally, thank you for your continued support.

Roseanne

We would like to introduce you to our new members of ScotGEN staff:

Kirsty MacDonald is now the part time ScotGEN Administrator (North), based at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. Kirsty works Monday - Wednesday, 9.30 - 2.30, and can be contacted at either k.macdonald1@rgu.ac.uk or on 01224-262986.

Gail Norris has been seconded from her post of midwifery lecturer for 6 months (July -December 2008) full time, to support Professor Mary Porteous with a scoping exercise which will establish the training needs of midwives in Scotland in antenatal screening, and how these can be delivered; and also in the development of educational material on antenatal screening. Gail is based at Napier University's Comely Bank campus and can be reached at g.norris@napier.ac.uk

Two Project Learning Technologists have recently been appointed.

Niki Vielma took up post in September, and is based at Napier's Comely Bank campus. Niki will support the project work going on in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Annalisa Manca joined us in October and is based at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, supporting the project work of Aberdeen and Dundee.

 

Their primary task is to convert the "raw materials" produced by ScotGEN contributors into the learning objects and other resources which will be made available to you all via the ScotGEN website www.scotgen.org.uk Contact Niki at n.vielma@napier.ac.uk or on 0131-455-5369. Annalisa can be contacted at a.manca@dundee.ac.uk or on 01382-632564.

Dr Alison Bell begins a new phase of work with ScotGEN as Scottish Schools Education Co-ordinator. Her remit is to liaise with the key individuals in Scottish Secondary Education, identifying and coordinating the development of teaching materials which support the teaching of Human Genetics in Scottish schools. Alison would be delighted to receive any relevant information, suggestions or comments, which should be directed to alison.bell5@nhs.net

Genetic Topics Under Development

Family History and Genetic Counselling - The family history and genetic counselling group are predominately based in Glasgow but happily liaise with entire ScotGEN team. We are developing case scenarios to build in this important area which is relevant to all areas of genetic education. With the support of the learning technologist we aim to make this area of learning more exciting for healthcare professionals, schools and members of the public. We are including: the construction of a family history; ethical and legal aspects; the psychosocial impact of hereditary conditions and public health and policies. All of these areas are explored using good use of current available internet material and using imaginary, but realistic, case scenarios.

Each of the units has learning outcomes and activities aimed at assessing at levels 8, 9 and Masters level (Scottish Credit Qualifications Network).

This material will also be developed for the general public, who may just want to do this for fun!

After initial construction of this material as Microsoft Word documents, we’ve been keenly awaiting the arrival of the learning technologist. We definitely recognise the need for professional help in order to transform it into exciting learning material and, after meeting with Niki Vielma, we’re keen to work with her and watch the transformation.

(Nicola Bradshaw, Genetic Counsellor on behalf of the team)

Cancer and Genetics - This group has been busy developing case studies in breast, ovarian, breast/ovarian and colorectal cancer. These case studies will be further enhanced by the learning technologist into interactive case studies. The case studies are designed to enable an educator to select sections for their own students' needs and to enable the learner to develop the knowledge required to understand the patient pathway with family history of common cancer, through a typical clinical genetic referral.

These case studies encourage the use of published Scottish Screening guidelines for individuals with a family history of cancer. Case studies demonstrate how an individual’s assessment of risk can change.

These case studies incorporate common core skills and knowledge that all healthcare professionals require in their daily practice. With the educator’s direction, the learner is encouraged to undertake "activities" in the given action boxes and compare outcomes with suggested answers. These activities have been developed for teaching, learning and assessment at levels 8, 9 and 11 according to Scottish Credit Qualifications Framework. Suggested learning outcomes for each level have also been developed for educators.

Group discussion activities are suggested for online or face to face teaching that would enhance the learner’s understanding of the genetic counselling process.

(Hazel Hailey, Genetic Counsellor, on behalf of the team)

Scottish Secondary Education Liaison - Through continuing schools' liaison, this project involves investigating and formulating a means of embedding human genetics throughout the curriculum for all levels of Scottish secondary school students. Its aim is to raise the profile of human genetics, enhancing the students' understanding of key genetic concepts and issues.

Everyday Genetics for the Healthcare Practitioner *

Paediatrics and Genetics*

Pregnancy and Newborn Screening*

* Development reports will be published in next newsletter.

ScotGEN Website Developments

We have moved to the second stage of the website development. There are many changes/improvements planned and the site will be developed to allow anyone wishing to request material from the site to have this delivered in their chosen format. You will also notice many changes to the site, all of which will enhance the way information is displayed and delivered. The changes are proposed in a staged process and will take place over the coming year, so the changes may not all appear at once! More information to follow.

Look out for ScotGEN Bulletins which will be sent out whenever the Learning Technologists release resources for you to access via the website.

What would you like to see on our pages? We would like to ask you all what educational tools you would find useful. What sort of resources would you like to see developed? The more feedback you give us now, the more we can customise the items we develop. Please send any comments to s.sutherland@napier.ac.uk

Midwives Genetics Awareness Day

This Genetics Awareness Day for Midwives is to be held at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital on Friday 28th November. Midwives from the North East of Scotland and neighbouring regions, including the Highlands and Northern Islands will be invited to attend.

For further information please contact Kirsty Macdonald, ScotGEN Administrator - North either by email: k.macdonald1@rgu.ac.uk or by phone: 01224-262986. Click here for the Conference Flyer, and here for the Conference Programme.

A Message from Australia

"I am delighted to see the development of the Scottish Genetic Education Network. It is critically important that genetics education for health professionals be supported, and providing a physical and virtual network of resources is a major step in this endeavour. The website www.scotgen.org.uk contains some very helpful re-usable learning objects as well as contacts to provide education activities, and is a great start for your network. I would hope that ScotGEN will become a member of the newly formed International Genetics Education Network and as such form an important link both within Scotland and internationally".

Assoc Prof Sylvia Metcalfe
Chair, International Genetics Education Network
Education Committee of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia
Group Leader, Genetics Education and Health Research
Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, and
Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Australia

Conference Report

European Human Genetics Conference in conjunction with the European Meeting on Psychosocial Aspects of Genetics, Barcelona, May 31 - June 3, 2008.

European Society for Human Genetics (ESHG)
Submitted by Catherine Watt

The European Human Genetics Conference is now in its fortieth year and each year the meeting aims to demonstrate the latest developments in human genetics that are of interest to genetic counsellors, clinicians and scientists. The conference programme is wide and varied, to say the least, and so it is little wonder that the timetable started at 8.45 am and finished at 6.45 p.m. each day.

The conference provides excellent opportunities for meeting colleagues from other countries, sharing ideas and learning about what other people are doing and how they are doing it.

Key speakers included Domenico Coviello, chairman of the ESHG Education Committee; Sylvia Metcalfe, representing "The International Genetics Education Network" (IGEN); Peter Farndon, Director of the NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre; and Heather Skirton, who presented work on "Development of a set of core competences in genetics for health care professionals in Europe".

Click to read the whole of Cathy's conference report

Course Reports

Introduction to Genes and Cancer NURS 09124
Cathy Watt, Genetic Counsellor
The University of the West of Scotland in conjunction with the Ferguson-Smith Centre for Clinical Genetics, Yorkhill Hospitals, Glasgow.

"I thought readers of the ScotGEN newsletter would be interested to know more about this module, which was recently developed through here in the West of Scotland. This six day course aims to provide undergradute students, registered nurses, midwives and allied health professionals with an introduction to the role and function of genes and cancer".

To read more about this course and Cathy's thoughts after the completion of its second year, click here.

Teaching Genetics - an interactive course providing a grounding in teaching genetics to health professionals.

NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre
Three day course for genetic counsellors

(Next course runs from October - December, 2008, read more here)

This three day course has been developed by Peter Farndon and his colleagues at the NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre in Birmingham and it is open to genetic counsellors in the United Kingdom. Meeting up with colleagues from other centres provides, as always, a chance to share experiences and knowledge. On the first day of the course ...

To read more about Cathy's experience on the course, click here.

Widening the ScotGEN Membership

We hope, over time, to reach as many people with an interest in genetic education as possible. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to any of your colleagues who may be interested and encourage them to register directly via the ScotGEN website www.scotgen.org.uk . Our organistation is really beginning to gain momentum just now and it will not be long before a wealth of useful resources is available to you all.

Anything Else?

If you have any genetics news that you would like to share we would love to hear from you. Have you recently attended a meeting/conference or have you just completed/ enrolled in a course that might interest newsletter readers?

Please get in touch with me, Sheila Sutherland, ScotGEN Administrator - Head Office, at s.sutherland@napier.ac.uk